"How dare you behave like that outside of work!!"

[Jester]

Aftershock? That stuff still exists? I love that stuff....it is what I used to drink before I discovered the joys of Goldschlager. And yes, folks, despite my lean frame and unimposing physical dimensions, chances are better than even that I would bury most of you at a bar drinking Goldschlager. There is a reason people in Phoenix still refer to me by the nickname "Schlager."

Back on topic: I can, to a degree, understand an employer being upset about how an employee acts outside of work IF THAT EMPLOYEE IS STILL WEARING THEIR WORK UNIFORM. Because then you really are representing your company (assuming your uniform has the company logo/name on it. This does not apply to work uniforms that are generic, such as a shirt and tie or a plain colored polo shirt, etc.) In that case, the employer has what I consider a semi-legitimate beef if you are acting in ways that people might consider in appropriate while wearing the employer's name for all to see.

That all being said, if you are off duty, off property, and not wearing the company logo or name on you, anyone who complains about your actions is a raving asshole. And any employer that takes such complaints seriously is equally a raving asshole.

The above aside, there ARE instances where someone could be out of uniform, off duty, and off property, and still be behaving inappropriately and making the company look bad. For example, if a customer is minding their own business, and the employee walks up to them and says, "Hey! Aren't you the asshole that comes in to Rapscallion's Tavern every Friday and tips like shit?" That would be inappropriate. However, if said customer is harrassing said employee, and pulls the "Do you know who I am" card, and the employee replies, "Yeah....you're the asshole that comes in to Rapscallion's Tavern every Friday and tips like shit..." that would be more on the head of the customer, as they employee was merely firing back and trying to enjoy their life off duty.

There is a reason I usually bring a change of shirt with me to work.

[wagegoth]

(I assume it's a woman...it just sounds like a complaint a bitch would make).

Not a mod, but I found that offensive. Also, if you read the comments, you'll find that if the employee is a woman, it's pretty much guaranteed to be a man that makes a complaint, as they expect female employees to behave at all times in the deferential and friendly manner they have to exhibit at work.

I got so sick of being hit on all the time at work, then being hit on when someone recognized me outside of work, that I was really glad to change careers. And I did worry that one of those male idjits would file a complaint just to get back at me for saying, "No."

[Rapscallion]

Good grief. Miss Susie wasn't the brightest lesbian in the world, was she?

If I had room in my signature...

Rapscallion

[ditchdj]

You think THAT is bad, try being a teacher or a cop. You screw up just once and someone complains and it's "career suicide" for you pal!

And if it happens in the United States, the union usually wont lift a finger to defend you either.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

My boss got a complaint once about my behavior outside the the workplace.

Get this...I was [buh buh buh bummmmm] CROSSDRESSING

Now many of you who have read my posts know that I'm in the SCA and that people in the SCA wear unusual clothing (in as far as the modern world is concerned). To those of you who don't, I was wearing a T-Tunic.

A T-Tunic is something that is fitted rather like a overlarge and overlong T-shirt (hence the name "T-Tunic). In many different cultures, they are called by a multitude of names since variants of the damn things can be found from Byzantium to England and damn near everywhere in between.

In short I'm in a pair of sweat pants and this tunic which comes down to my knees...dress length for some women.

Now my boss comes up to me and asks what was going on. I show him the SCA, pictures of myself and other guys wearing the same thing, and explain to him what I was doing. Boss shrugs and blows the whole thing off as a misunderstanding and that's the end of the matter...so I thought.

Week later and the same person sees me at another event and lo-and-behold another complaint of the [buh buh buh bummmmm] CROSSDRESSING employee. Person talks to me directly however since they came into the store. I'm about to start waxing poetic on this jerkwad when my boss comes in and explains that 1. It's not his problem what I do off the clock as long as it's legal 2. I'm in a historical re-creation society, 3. I own a whopping big sword, and 4. to shut the hell up and leave us alone.

Person left and never came back...no big loss.

M

[Bonnie Bitch]

....she wasn't in trouble or anything but was told "there was a better way she could have handled it..."

Yeah, because that much better way could have included her calling the cops to report being harassed by this clown.

[Bonnie Bitch]

We have a rule against people selling stuff on here, so no, she can't post ordering information.

What our members discuss with each other privately is... well, private. No worries there.

But is there a rule against hawking products that haven't been created yet, such as my book, "A View from a Broad"?

<that's just a working title, for anyone who was worried that I bogarted the title of Bette Midler's book>

[Bonnie Bitch]

Title? Publisher? How can we order it? Mods: if answers to these questions are against the rules, can she send me a PM?

Oh, hon -- that was a joke.
"the book is due out" = I have enough stories for a book (as do we all 'round these here parts)

[MadMike]

Title? Publisher? How can we order it? Mods: if answers to these questions are against the rules, can she send me a PM?

We have a rule against people selling stuff on here, so no, she can't post ordering information.

What our members discuss with each other privately is... well, private. No worries there.

[skeptic53]

(you want sucky customer stories? The paperback about my time at Loser Liquors is coming out in June).

Title? Publisher? How can we order it? Mods: if answers to these questions are against the rules, can she send me a PM?

[Kitten in the box]

lol...one time my friend who use to take a bus to work was on her way home when a guy decided to strike up a conversation with her...asking about prices of food at her workplace and what not. well she was out of uniform and said she wanted to be left alone...she was tired and not in a talking mood. well this guy said she was REQUIRED to be in a talking mood because he was a customer and that he was going to take it up with management. sure enough he did....she wasn't in trouble or anything but was told "there was a better way she could have handled it..."

[TruthHurts]

I had an incident happen a couple years back. My friends and I would go out Friday nights to the local bar. There was this older gentlemen who would always ask me to dance/offer to buy me a drink which I always declined. Rather than take the hint he'd became abrasive and started lecturing me on my behavior. Finally feeling a little drunk and po'd I told him to leave me the eff alone and that I was tired of his B.S.
He glares at me and says "You work at XXXXX resort right" "Yeah so" I said. He then proceeds to tell me that he has breakfast there every Sunday and that the resort will not look kindly on the way I treated him.

"Sure you do that sir," I said "Tell the restaurant that someone from the housekeeping department told you to eff off after you harassed her the hundredth time especially when she's not even at work.


Needless to say the guy never went through with his complaint.

[evilhomer]

"I was enjoying a nice drink at <rival bar> when I spotted a member of your staff drinking large amounts of alcohol and making excessive amounts of noise. The member of staff was seen drinking shots of aftershock, which in my opinin, is very irresponsible. Member of staff was also heard swearing during conversation and was laughing too loud. I believe this is extremelly unprofessional behaviour, and I want action to be taken. Behaviour like this should not be condoned."

That's utterly ridiculous. I do understand the concept of being a company representative off the clock, but that begins and ends with work related matters. ie: don't tell a customer off in the parking lot after your shift.

You were completely uninvolved with your work, it was completely personal. It sounds like this comes from some uptight assclown who was pissed at what he perceived to be rowdiness. Rather than having the balls to do something about it, he wusses out and tries to screw your professional life.

I'm glad your manager is cool and treated this as it should be treated.

[Bonnie Bitch]

How dare you have fun and relax when not on the job! Shame on you!

Sad thing is: I didn't have a drop to drink that night.
I mean, if I'd actually gotten sloppy drunk and tried to make out with the bartender-guy, then yeah -- rat me out to everyone you've ever met. I'd have earned that.
Even sadder: I went home alone. And sober.

[Bonnie Bitch]

Good grief. Miss Susie wasn't the brightest lesbian in the world, was she?

I like the comment the OP said about the "unprofessional behavior." WTF does that even mean? If you weren't at work, what of it?

I don't get the mentality that would move this idiot to even think that about you, much less say it.

Oh, Miss Susie Scag was not the brightest bulb on the track lighting, to be sure.
IMO, in her mind "unprofessional behavior" was an excuse to eliminate anyone who could have blown her cover as a "non-lesbian."
The closet is an odd place in which to exist, and I'm certain that in Susie Scag's mind, she was absolutely justified in doing what she did. That's why the lovely people in charge of Karma decided to bite her on the butt (with the proper vaccinations beforehand, of course).
The truly odd thing is:
she was obviously terrified of being outed, and where did she work? Oh, yeah -- for a chain of local restaurants where a good two-thirds of the employees were...... <drum roll>....... gay as geese and/or queer as football bats. Loud and proud, as my friend "Jack" says.