Fired from work via text message

[just4fun618]

LONDON (AFP) - A company has defended its decision to sack one of its staff by text message, claiming it was keeping in touch with youth culture.

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Katy Tanner, a 21-year-old sales assistant, received the message while she was off work with a migraine, the South Wales Echo newspaper said Friday.

The text message said: "We will not require your services anymore...Thank you for your time with us."

"I don't think it's right to just text someone. At least they should have talked to me face to face," Tanner said.

"You're not allowed to text in sick, you have to phone. The fact that they texted me is a bit of double standards."

Several senior staff members at Blue Banana, a body-piercing and jewellery shop based in Cardiff, defended the decision.

But company director Jon Taylor added that an internal investigation was underway to see if "the ultimate action was ideal".

The retailer claims it tried to reach Tanner directly "five or six times" and passed on a message through her boyfriend before the text was sent.

And store director Ian Besbie added that the dismissal method was fair because texting was a part of "youth culture".

"We are a youth business and our staff are all part of the youth culture that uses SMS (text) messaging as a major means of communication," he said.

The company employs about 120 people in Britain, many of them aged under 21.

 

[ViperGTS]

I can see how someone would think it sucks, but if they can't get a hold of you, what else to do?

If they didn't want her employed there anymore and their reasons are legitimate, too bad. Bye.

 

[AffectionateDan]

Yeah, sounds to me like she was an attendance problem, and the washed their hands of her, so now she's got her knickers in a bunch over getting canned for being a slacker. Tough shit. Try going to work.

 

[drew70]

I guess she saw the writing on the wall.

 

[kis123]

Send her a letter! Fire her in person the next time she comes to work! But I'm sorry, I'm an old-school kinda' girl and texting her was just plain tacky! What if she didn't have text messaging available to her? She would've found out the next time she arrived at work. Incredibly unprofessional on the part of the company if you ask me.

Now I will go to the corner and duck the potential hurling of tomatoes in my direction........

 

[Mitchell]

Actually, I have heard of something like this happening before, but it was a resignation, and via Fax.
Does anyone remember Head Coach Pat Riley's departure from the Knicks in 1995? In that case, it was reported, instead of holding a press conference to announce he was leaving, or instead of going to his bosses directly to tell them he was resigning from his job, Mr Riley apparently faxed his resignation to the Knicks owners. A tactic I thought at the time to be rather tacky. To me, if one is going to resign from a job, or be fired, the person who is initiating the action should sit down with the other party, personally, face to face, even if they are not on good terms, and part ways in that manner. This situation posted in this thread may be different, because they apparently couldnt get in touch with this girl. However, in most cases of resignation, or a firing, I feel that a face to face meeting and parting is best.

Mitch

 

[AffectionateDan]

I guess she saw the writing on the wall.

Oh, BOOOOOOOOOOO! Where's a tomato when I need one? 😀

 

[german]

Really regardless if she was a problem at work she should not be told through a text message, its very unprofessional on the part of the company.

Kust