Mandatory Training Tonight
You are hereby notified that you have a mandatory training session this evening. At 9/8c, you are required to tune in to your local NBC affiliate and watch the episode of The Office. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action.
In my humble opinion, The Office is the world’s greatest employment law training aid. All you have to do is (1) watch it and (2) do the exact opposite of everything you see.
TONIGHT’S EPISODE:
Koi Pond. Here’s NBCs official description: “The staff plans a haunted house for local children; Michael falls into a koi pond during a business meeting; Pam and Andy try cold calling to improve sales”.
OFFICIAL “ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A LAWYER?” CONTEST. Tune in tomorrow to see my detailed analysis of the episodes and exactly what I would tell Dunder Mifflin if I were its lawyer. Anyone who spots an employment law issue that I missed will be entitled to a valuable prize.
Enjoy!
August 13th, 2010 at 8:28 am
I couldn’t post this on the one above so I decided to put it on this one!
Issue: Discrimination of sexual orientation
Comments: Michael said it is okay for employees to make fun of Oscar for being gay because it is part of who he is. This could lead to huge discrimination lawsuit… which I believe has already happened within the office with Oscar.
Risk: $$$$
Issue: Hostile work environment
Remarks: Says that Toby “doesn’t deserve to exist” creates a hostile work environment that could (or already has) cause serious psychological distress to Toby.
Issue: Innapropriate discussion
Remarks: Merideth didn’t want everyone to make fun of her for something but she didn’t want to say. Michael should not have allowed her to write something so embarrasing on the white board and Merideth shouldn’t have written her “relations” with a terrorist on the white board.
Risk: Awkward silence!
Risk: An Apathetic HR rep!