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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask an HR person on here a question?

36 replies

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:13

If you have been reported by an outside source to your company about something you’ve posted online - racist (use of n-word”, highly misogynistic, referring to women as “bitches” and saying you manipulate them to “get pussy” 🤮🤮

How long typically does an investigation take for it to be concluded? Would this be serious? Is it common for a person to be put on leave during the investigation?

OP posts:
CoralOP · 22/08/2025 18:37

DramaLlamacchiato · 22/08/2025 18:30

I think the legal advice sounds a bit shoddy at best. I’d say telling people in the workplace he wanted to abuse kids amounts to misconduct and/or some other substantial reason justifying dismissal

Edited
Show quote history

It wasn't our case, just something we studied in legal training.
The things he was saying wasn't too graphic apparently, he kept it borderline 'bantery' but obviously coupled with the fact that he was already a paedophile it infuriated so many people.
Anyway I don't want to derail the thread, it was just eye opening how something that seems so wrong couldn't be used to end employment.

LandOfFruitAndNut · 22/08/2025 18:37

Whoever they are this individual sounds like a nasty piece of work. That isn’t, of itself a justification for disciplining them. I’d say it is about whether, in doing so, they are associated with the company and bring them into disrepute.
if you want to do this I’d suggest that you complain to the company and see what happens.

JLou08 · 22/08/2025 18:55

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:27

That’s crazy that I could say racist comments but my work wouldn’t care because I did it in my own time.

Show quote history

It will depend on the profession. I'm a social worker and I could be sacked for this because it goes against the values of my profession, which I agreed to adhere to when I registered.

Mrsttcno1 · 22/08/2025 19:01

Notagain75 · 22/08/2025 18:34

Doesn't it depend on the work the employee does. Eg if they work for a company that promoted itself as being inclusive , diverse and supportive of women's rights then surely they wouldn't want a racist misogynist working for them?

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To an extent, yes, but even then not entirely. We have freedom of speech and your employer doesn’t own you or have full control over you outside of your working hours otherwise everyone who worked for example with alcoholics would have to never have a drink.

Most companies, as long as it’s not views you share at work, while working/representing the company, would just leave this as an informal chat.

tarheelbaby · 22/08/2025 19:29

I'm not condoning (or condemning) any examples here but I would point out that 'freedom of speech/expression' covers a lot, especially if the person's activity can't be (easily) linked to the employer.

As pp's say, your employer doesn't own you, so can't easily control what you do out of working hours. What about recent protest marches? Again, I'm not offering an opinion but suggesting possible controvertial behaviour.

Some contracts do stipulate 'not bringing the company into disrepute' and that could be a point where the employer could start disciplinary investigation/action/hearing.

londongirl12 · 22/08/2025 19:33

Our company has got rid of someone for something they’ve said on line as it brings the company into disrepute.

GonnaeNoDaeThatJustGonnaeNo · 22/08/2025 19:43

You should contact the police rather than the workplace.

HermioneWeasley · 22/08/2025 19:45

CoralOP · 22/08/2025 18:15

Ex HR here, I can't say what the company will do, it depends on how far they want to take it but I do always remember a case we studied in depth.
A convicted peadophile was 'outed' and everyone refused to work with him, he kept telling people what he wanted to do to kids, there was a huge stand off so a lot of legal advice was sought.
It was concluded that he wasn't doing anything wrong in terms of his employment and there wasn't a reason that could be used to end him employment.
Just goes to show that employment law and the actual law don't always go hand in hand.

I’d sack him for “some other substantial reason”, which is presumably his colleagues were appalled and felt they couldn’t work with him any more.

the OP’s original question is a bit vague. If I were alerted by someone external and it was as reported I’d as a minimum be having a word with him about the wisdom of using racial slurs online under his full name. If a colleague had complained it might be formal action.

SquishedMallow · 22/08/2025 19:48

CoffeeFluff · 22/08/2025 17:24

I am a HR Director. Policy aside, my common sense view would be to speak to the employee to make them aware of the complaint, and to ask for their view on it. I wouldn’t go straight into any formal procedure and I wouldn’t suspend them. If, after speaking with them, they said “Yes I did do that” then I would have to consider whether it has brought the company into disrepute and whether it is serious grounds for breaching the company’s moral code of conduct / values. At that point, I may then suspend pending investigation.

Very informative and logical reply

Original poster
Poppu · 22/08/2025 19:57

londongirl12 · 22/08/2025 19:33

Our company has got rid of someone for something they’ve said on line as it brings the company into disrepute.

Were they linked to the company when making those comments?

OP posts:
5128gap · 22/08/2025 20:48

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:39

They also laughed about someone being r*ped and said they’d do it again. Is that ok?

Show quote history

No, it's not OK. None of its OK. If he has admitted to rape and stated his intention of doing it again, then that's something to report to the police, not just his employer.

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