Cast member fired then rehired

[GaryDis]

Disney did this young lady no good by rehiring her. She will think her actions were justified. She will be in for a big surprise when she tries something at her first real job and gets fired. What she was asked to do was allow higher ups to make PR decisions rather than letting the low level employees decide what details to give to the public. This happens every day in businesses.

I am in HR and I have dealt with young people who act so over the top about perceived injustices. One quit because we could not close two hours early on the Friday before a holiday. She went around to say goodbye to the other employees (small office of 15) and started to tell each one about how unscrupulous we are and such an unprofessional employer. I had to go get her from the Controller's office and tell her it was time to leave. She still tried talking to the CFO who walked up. I told her "we all know how you feel so let's go".

When she was gone everyone was laughing at her. Because she didn't see that quitting without notice was not professional either.

In another case of lower level employees sticking their feet in their mouths. Interns fired as a group for trying to change dress code.

https://www.yahoo.com/style/interns-get-fired-en-masse-after-protesting-dress-201632030.html

Obviously, someone in management agrees that her actions were justified, or at least didn't require firing her. And if you read the article, she was aware she could get in trouble and had the personal integrity to take the risk.

There are things more important in life than any job. I don't think I would have reacted the same way in this particular case, but I can imagine other situations where I would. I have a hard time imagining Disney doing something that would rise to that level, but who knows.

We just need to distinguish the cases where employees are fired for being foolish from the cases where they're fired for having integrity and ethics.

 

[Nancyg56]

You'd be surprised how a lot of people think that a. Things on the internet either don't or shouldn't follow them around for jobs and b. rules like computer and social media and phone policies don't apply to them. I've had to ban cell phones from public service desks, fire people for unauthorized usage of Internet- and these are not just 20-somethings.

I am not surprised.I think that a lot of people are though and find out the hard way what follows them

 

[King Schultz]

Obviously, someone in management agrees that her actions were justified, or at least didn't require firing her. And if you read the article, she was aware she could get in trouble and had the personal integrity to take the risk.

There are things more important in life than any job. I don't think I would have reacted the same way in this particular case, but I can imagine other situations where I would. I have a hard time imagining Disney doing something that would rise to that level, but who knows.

We just need to distinguish the cases where employees are fired for being foolish from the cases where they're fired for having integrity and ethics.

I got the idea she was hired back because the Orlando paper publicized it.

I agree with the rest of your post though.

 

[rastahomie]

Do you ever feel like you're mediating a dispute where both parties are wrong? I think that's what's happening here.

First of all, that sign should have never been posted. It's insulting to CM's who don't want to be required to lie as part of their jobs. It's insulting to guests who want to know the truth about alligators (even if their questions are based more on hysteria than fact). And it's insulting to Lane Graves and his family.

HOWEVER, that young lady knew very well that her actions would get her fired. She signed on to the company's social media policy when she accepted the job.

Whether or not her actions were admirable for exposing that lie - well, people risk their jobs (and freedom) to expose things that they think the public needs to know all the time. They're called "whistleblowers." Edward Snowden is Exhibit A. I'm not convinced she was right to expose the sign - really, she should have talked her manager about it first. But Disney was definitely right to fire her.

----

On a similar note: as a professional writer, I oft write about professional athletes getting punished for violations of the NFL's drug policy. I think the NFL's drug policy is arbitrary, archaic, prudish, and draconian (Michael Vick does prison time for a felony and gets a two-game suspension; L'Veon Bell hits his blunt during the off-season and gets a four-game suspension; what the heck?). But all of those NFL players who have gotten busted agreed to the policy when they signed their contracts.

 

[King Schultz]

Do you ever feel like you're mediating a dispute where both parties are wrong? I think that's what's happening here.

First of all, that sign should have never been posted. It's insulting to CM's who don't want to be required to lie as part of their jobs. It's insulting to guests who want to know the truth about alligators (even if their questions are based more on hysteria than fact). And it's insulting to Lane Graves and his family.

HOWEVER, that young lady knew very well that her actions would get her fired. She signed on to the company's social media policy when she accepted the job.

Whether or not her actions were admirable for exposing that lie - well, people risk their jobs (and freedom) to expose things that they think the public needs to know all the time. They're called "whistleblowers." Edward Snowden is Exhibit A. I'm not convinced she was right to expose the sign - really, she should have talked her manager about it first. But Disney was definitely right to fire her.

----

On a similar note: as a professional writer, I oft write about professional athletes getting punished for violations of the NFL's drug policy. I think the NFL's drug policy is arbitrary, archaic, prudish, and draconian (Michael Vick does prison time for a felony and gets a two-game suspension; L'Veon Bell hits his blunt during the off-season and gets a four-game suspension; what the heck?). But all of those NFL players who have gotten busted agreed to the policy when they signed their contracts.

I was listening to Rome talk about the L'Veon Bell stuff last week. . . agree it's a dumb policy, but as Rome pointed out not only did he sign a contract agreeing to it, the Players Union collectively bargained allowing the NFL to impose the penalties.

I'm guessing that will change with states like Colorado legalizing pot, but it is what it is right now and Bell knew the deal.

 

[rastahomie]

I was listening to Rome talk about the L'Veon Bell stuff last week. . . agree it's a dub policy, but as Rome pointed out not only did he sign a contract agreeing to it, the Players Union collectively bargained allowing the NFL to impose the penalties.

I'm guessing that will change with states like Colorado legalizing pot, but it is what it is right now and Bell knew the deal.

I wrote an article about the NFL's drug policy (I won't link to it here as I believe it's inappropriate and gauche to use this message board as a place to pimp my work). It goes back to some Commissioner - I think it was Pete Roselle - who got high with his buddies one night and decided that "this stuff" (pot) could spell trouble for the NFL, and set out on a crusade to get it banned from amongst the players. There's also the matter that the NFL's biggest sponsor is the beer industry, and they'd rather not see a competing product being tolerated in the league.

 

[King Schultz]

I wrote an article about the NFL's drug policy (I won't link to it here as I believe it's inappropriate and gauche to use this message board as a place to pimp my work). It goes back to some Commissioner - I think it was Pete Roselle - who got high with his buddies one night and decided that "this stuff" (pot) could spell trouble for the NFL, and set out on a crusade to get it banned from amongst the players. There's also the matter that the NFL's biggest sponsor is the beer industry, and they'd rather not see a competing product being tolerated in the league.

I never heard the Rozelle story, but it doesn't surprise me. He was always an oily little punk.

And I don't foresee the NFL totally making weed okay, but I do think they'll make the penalties more reasonable.

 

[mom2rtk]

Obviously, someone in management agrees that her actions were justified, or at least didn't require firing her.

Or maybe they just thought the public perception of this wouldn't be good and it would be better to just rehire her than take the hit.

 

[Arielle22]

Obviously, someone in management agrees that her actions were justified, or at least didn't require firing her. And if you read the article, she was aware she could get in trouble and had the personal integrity to take the risk.

There are things more important in life than any job. I don't think I would have reacted the same way in this particular case, but I can imagine other situations where I would. I have a hard time imagining Disney doing something that would rise to that level, but who knows.

We just need to distinguish the cases where employees are fired for being foolish from the cases where they're fired for having integrity and ethics.

My DD has done the college program and is returning in Sept to it. She still has many friends at Disney. The version she heard was that the CM had only a month left in the program. So Disney probably thought it would be better to bring her back and shut down the media. I don't see her being allowed back though. I am on the side of the employee was fired for being foolish. It would only be an integrity or ethics issue if she told a visitor that there were gators around and got fired for it.

Employees lie at the behest of the employers every day. Does the same cast member feel she is lying when she presents that characters are real rather than people in costumes? That lie goes on much more than where the gators live. How about the live rats and mice that can be seen at times around the park. Will she admit to guests if they ask her? After all, rats and mice can carry disease and vermin and there is a better chance of becoming ill from them than by a gator attack.

 

[pryncess527]

Out of curiosity, if you get fired as a CM (assume it's not for something criminal, like assaulting a guest or stealing), are you forbidden from ever returning as a guest?

Is that enforcable? Is your name tied to your Disney ticket in such a way that they could prevent you from entering? (I have not been to WDW in a very long time)

Do you ever feel like you're mediating a dispute where both parties are wrong? I think that's what's happening here.

First of all, that sign should have never been posted. It's insulting to CM's who don't want to be required to lie as part of their jobs. It's insulting to guests who want to know the truth about alligators (even if their questions are based more on hysteria than fact). And it's insulting to Lane Graves and his family.

HOWEVER, that young lady knew very well that her actions would get her fired. She signed on to the company's social media policy when she accepted the job.

Whether or not her actions were admirable for exposing that lie - well, people risk their jobs (and freedom) to expose things that they think the public needs to know all the time. They're called "whistleblowers." Edward Snowden is Exhibit A. I'm not convinced she was right to expose the sign - really, she should have talked her manager about it first. But Disney was definitely right to fire her.
.

Isn't the entire point of Whistleblower protection laws to say they CAN'T be fired for being Whistleblowers? I'm not arguing that this particular person deserves that protection, just in general.

 

[Nancyg56]

Is that enforcable? Is your name tied to your Disney ticket in such a way that they could prevent you from entering? (I have not been to WDW in a very long time)



Isn't the entire point of Whistleblower protection laws to say they CAN'T be fired for being Whistleblowers? I'm not arguing that this particular person deserves that protection, just in general.

There is a specific set of circumstances that allow for an employee to be protected as a whistleblower. I doubt this situation rises to that standard. We found that out the hard way when we were trying to better the circumstances of our local police officers.

DIsney can and does have the right to ban people from the parks.