"It was just a joke! Can't you take a joke?"

[CPT Tripss]

It's a good thing it was reported to the employer. For one thing, it might not be the first time this idiot did something like that to a co-worker. He definitely needs to have this "strike" on his record and the employer needs to know so that they can prevent having a hostile workplace.

His actions are totally indefensible and are by no means a practical joke, they are downright cruel and perhaps even criminal. The fact that he knew enough to route the texts so they couldn't be traced to him make me suspicious that this isn't the first time he harassed and bullied people . . . or worse.

 

[horseshowmom]

It's a good thing it was reported to the employer. For one thing, it might not be the first time this idiot did something like that to a co-worker. He definitely needs to have this "strike" on his record and the employer needs to know so that they can prevent having a hostile workplace.

His actions are totally indefensible and are by no means a practical joke, they are downright cruel and perhaps even criminal. The fact that he knew enough to route the texts so they couldn't be traced to him make me suspicious that this isn't the first time he harassed and bullied people . . . or worse.

Yeah, I thought that was pretty disturbing as well.

 

[WDSearcher]

I don't know that it's "disturbing". He's a young guy, right? Look at what's on TV these days that appeals to the male demographic.

• Awkward
• Punked
• Who Gets the Last Laugh

Even shows like Giving You the Business on Food Network are based on the concept of making someone's life hell for a while in order to "reward" them in the end.

If he's watching any of these types of shows, he could well be under the impression that the kind of jokes he's playing are socially acceptable. He's watching people (famous people in many cases) his age (and older) do these kinds of things and get accolades for them. Oh -- and no one ever gets mad. The victims just laugh and think it's hilarious.

 

[bellanotte10]

I don't know that it's "disturbing". He's a young guy, right? Look at what's on TV these days that appeals to the male demographic.

• Awkward
• Punked
• Who Gets the Last Laugh

Even shows like Giving You the Business on Food Network are based on the concept of making someone's life hell for a while in order to "reward" them in the end.

If he's watching any of these types of shows, he could well be under the impression that the kind of jokes he's playing are socially acceptable. He's watching people (famous people in many cases) his age (and older) do these kinds of things and get accolades for them. Oh -- and no one ever gets mad. The victims just laugh and think it's hilarious.

sorry, stupid question, are you talking about Awkward. on MTV? I don't see how that fits though if you are.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I wouldn't file charges. I may just give him an ear full. Like hey I know you kids now days think this is funny but tell him what happened he may not even realize

 

[aprilgail2]

The guy was playing a prank. It was stupid of him to do it, but I would guess it was just a stupid prank.

Yes. he knew about your burglary but I would guess he never connected the two things. I bet the burglary wasn't even in his mind when he was doing this.

Terrorizing you? I highly doubt it.

In your mind you connected the robbery with the texts, when in actuality there is no connection. If you never had the burglary I bet you would not be so angry.

Hey, we all do stupid things, he did one. I don't see a reason to call HR and the police.

As a matter of fact, if you do call HR you all might as well be prepared to have a NO CELL PHONES rule starting any day now.

I agree-- but then again we have a "no ratting" policy where I work--your life would be made miserable if you ran to HR and told on someone.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I would still call the person assigned to your burglary and report it. You could do it as a "I think this coworker was just trying to prank me, but he routed his texts through India and he knew quite a bit of information. I don't think he is involved, but you never know. I have a copy of the texts if you need them." Then let the police handle it.

Glad he was reported and reprimanded for it.

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm glad there's at least a paper trail.

Whether he's young and stupid or young and malicious doesn't matter. Whether he thought it was "just a prank" or not doesn't matter. What he did was wrong. He has a reputation for similar actions. Perhaps it's time for him to learn the difference between a professional workplace and a sitcom.

At some point, you're supposed to outgrow the "boys will be boys" nonsense. It most certainly should happen before someone hires you to act as an adult.

 

[MineMail]

I agree-- but then again we have a "no ratting" policy where I work--your life would be made miserable if you ran to HR and told on someone.

That's a lousy policy. Sounds like a crappy work environment. You'd have to leave the company if someone started harassing you.

OP, glad it was a prank, although I'm sorry the burglary and prank happened.

I think the hr department should follow up on his penchant for phone pranks during business hours. I wouldn't involve the police unless you really think he has a connection with the case. It would just distract them by creating a false lead.

 

[aprilgail2]

That's a lousy policy. Sounds like a crappy work environment. You'd have to leave the company if someone started harassing you.

.

People never leave- maybe a handful have ever resigned since I have been there but typically because they were moving out of state. Once you get into this company you don't leave. As for harassement its typically taken care of among the co-workers, its just not taken up to the next level. Someone does something stupid it is addressed among your peers not the higher ups.

 

[Mandychelle79]

People never leave- maybe a handful have ever resigned since I have been there but typically because they were moving out of state. Once you get into this company you don't leave. As for harassement its typically taken care of among the co-workers, its just not taken up to the next level. Someone does something stupid it is addressed among your peers not the higher ups.

I wish more people would handle it among themselves vs running to the higher ups.

 

[Jennasis]

People never leave- maybe a handful have ever resigned since I have been there but typically because they were moving out of state. Once you get into this company you don't leave. As for harassement its typically taken care of among the co-workers, its just not taken up to the next level. Someone does something stupid it is addressed among your peers not the higher ups.

Do you work for Don Corleone by any chance?

 

[rigs32]

In a case like this, where OP was truly scared, the guy knew it, and continued on, you really think she should have done nothing?

Perhaps I'm jaded because there is a strong "no snitching" culture in my city. All that leads to is more people dead and shot and few cooperating witnesses to let us put the offenders in jail.

 

[EMom]

I don't know that it's "disturbing". He's a young guy, right? Look at what's on TV these days that appeals to the male demographic.

• Awkward
• Punked
• Who Gets the Last Laugh

Even shows like Giving You the Business on Food Network are based on the concept of making someone's life hell for a while in order to "reward" them in the end.

If he's watching any of these types of shows, he could well be under the impression that the kind of jokes he's playing are socially acceptable. He's watching people (famous people in many cases) his age (and older) do these kinds of things and get accolades for them. Oh -- and no one ever gets mad. The victims just laugh and think it's hilarious.

If he thinks this is acceptable, then he needs a big old wake up call from HR. Someone or something needs to cause this guy to wise up and grow up and it doesn't seem that getting a lecture from his coworkers is going to change him. He needed a little HR spanking to get the message that grownups don't "play" like this in the workplace and he got it. If his social skills are that bad, she did him a favor by reporting his asinine behavior.

 

[Mandychelle79]

In a case like this, where OP was truly scared, the guy knew it, and continued on, you really think she should have done nothing?

Perhaps I'm jaded because there is a strong "no snitching" culture in my city. All that leads to is more people dead and shot and few cooperating witnesses to let us put the offenders in jail.

I dont think she should have done nothing. I think she should have confronted him first and if it continued to happen then proceed up the chain of command.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm glad there's at least a paper trail.

Whether he's young and stupid or young and malicious doesn't matter. Whether he thought it was "just a prank" or not doesn't matter. What he did was wrong. He has a reputation for similar actions. Perhaps it's time for him to learn the difference between a professional workplace and a sitcom.

At some point, you're supposed to outgrow the "boys will be boys" nonsense. It most certainly should happen before someone hires you to act as an adult.

Yes. This. What he did, in the workplace, and on work time, was WAY out of line. Go ahead and punk your friends, and do it on your own time. It doesn't belong in the office.

If I were his supervisor, we'd be having a conversation about how behavior like this impacts others' opinions of you. If I were looking for someone to promote, someone responsible that I could give more important tasks to....he just dropped himself pretty low on that list.

There's having fun in the office, and there's being an idiot. He needs to learn the difference.

 

[Lynne M]

I agree-- but then again we have a "no ratting" policy where I work--your life would be made miserable if you ran to HR and told on someone.

We used to have a 'no ratting' culture, too. Until some of the salespeople started kinda stretching the bounds of the law when it came to 'encouraging' customers to buy our products.

The resulting SEC investigation, bad publicity and millions in fines that put all of our jobs at risk, and cost the jobs of many in management including our CEO, kinda put an end to the 'no ratting' culture.

There are some things that HR really does need to know about.

 

[Sugardimples]

Whatever else is done, I would confront him myself and make sure he heard from me how awful this was. And I would do it where everyone else could hear it. He needs to hear how his stupidity affected someone else and how IT WAS NOT FUNNY. And I hope that he would feel very small when I got done with him.

 

[Bob NC]

Do you work for Don Corleone by any chance?

Snitches get stitches.

 

[aaarcher86]

Snitches get stitches.

Thanks for the hefty laugh!