Is being immediately suspended from work without even a verbal warning of any kind beforehand illegal?

Question

Situation as follows: In my view, I regret to admit that I had a heated verbal exchange with a member of staff at my workplace. There may have been what might have been misconstrued as verbal violence but it certainly wasn't physical. However, the staff member, who I won't name, told my boss via another colleague that she felt threatened, and put in a complaint against me.
Regrettably, I had another exchange with a different staff member today at lunchtime, although this time there was no heated confrontation, merely a frank exchange of views.
I then felt forced to deliver an extra snack to a ward at the clinical institution where I work. Regrettably, again I used inappropriate language to express my frustration, thinking I was saying it only to myself. I called them "greedy twats" because they had been kicking off like this for over a week, and I'd had enough.
Unfotunately, they overheard and 2 of them complained. The company's response? Suspension without warning. Legal or illegal?

Answer 1

legal.

this is a valuable lession in how not to act at work. basically this is antisocial outbursts. you probably come across as having a mental disorder.

Answer 2

A very good poem. The last line wins me. Someday I 'll expect you to conquer prizes. Now the poem: I do not find it sorrowful, I am only glad because of your better mood! She walks swiftly to no purpose. What is that Fury? A wind from all four corners? Are corners hollow? Stinging nettles. This I like a lot. LC, we should go for an espresso? This poem makes me smile, not cry! (Someday we shall discuss about the banshee screams, when you refer to Furies, we 'll have to find a parallel entity that screams death songs. Not banshee, a cliche) I think this espresso is a must. We shall take our friends together, go next to an ocean, and start discussing about poetry, a talk hollow from 4 corners. Then, we 'll start walking furiously without any purpose, at 12 o' clock under the sun, Love you much! I was trying to make you smile, me being in a jazzy mood. I hope I did not make you upset.

Answer 3

In Canada, an employee can be dismissed for any reason (or no reason) at the employer's whim. However, it sounds like your employer had "just cause". If another employee FELT a threat, it is deemed to have BEEN one. Any threat, verbal, physical or published, is considered an assault under Canadian law. And it is the recipient of the threat who decides whether it was uncomfortable enough to be considered a threat (assault). Also, use of sexual innuendo generally is a "zero tolerance" situation in the workplace. Yep, anger management courses seem appropriate here.

Answer 4

I think that from the company's point of view this would amount to gross misconduct and under most company rules this renders an employee liable to immediate suspension or dismissal, depending on the enormity of the offence.

As Oscar Wilde might have remarked, one heated exchange might be viewed as a misfortune. Two sound remarkably like carelessness! I take your point that the second one was not heated, but the word you used was utterly gross and I can understand their complaining.

Answer 5

Sorry dude, your behaviour more than warranted a suspension. In these hyper-sensative days the smallest altercation can cause a huge problem. Sorry for your troubles, I've had a similar experience and lost out because I was male and the Co. took the word of the female even though she was lying.

Answer 6

Its all perfectly legal unless your company policy has a guide line they follow. Such as first time is a verbal warning, then a written reprimand followed by time off. And if things still haven't changed dismal on the next infraction.

Answer 7

Legal

Answer 8

No. Most states have 'at-will' contracts. You can be fired for no reason and with no notice. An extension of that is that an employer can suspend you without a written warning or any other proceeding. Remember, they COULD have fired you on the spot, but didn't.

Answer 9

You didn't say where you were - but in the US if you are not a union or contracted emplloyee - perfectly legal.

If you were my employee and you said that on MY nickel (aka your work time wage) you would be pounding the pavement looking for a new job. Completely and totally unacceptable.

Answer 10

Legal unless you have some type of contract that requires warning. Check your employment contract (if any), the company's policy manual and your union contract (if any).