Well I feel like an ass hole.

[Massacure]

I work in an office job, and starting in April my company is rearranged our cubes so that my department all sits on the same floor. One of my coworkers was tidying up their desk on Friday afternoon and I cracked a joke that we aren't moving for another two weeks yet. Well this morning our manager gathered my team in a conference room for a five minute meeting to inform us that said coworker was no longer with the company due to performance issues.

Now I really wish I hadn't said what I did.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

1. I have frequently opened my mouth,

only to insert my foot. I can sympathize. Is there any way you can perhaps send this person a card or a brief note?

Another way to look at it is that, perhaps, your soon-to-be former co-worker was grateful for the fact that the entire office didn't know.

[Massacure]

4. I don't have contact information.

I suppose that's an idea. I just need to find a way to get contact information.

Asking my boss for it might be a little awkward.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

7. HR department might be willing to forward it....

[Massacure]

9. That's a good idea.

Every department in the company has a dedicated HR representative, and he would have knowledge of the termination. I think pay him a quick visit tomorrow and ask him if he can grant that request.

Thanks.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

11. You're welcome!

It's very nice of you to be concerned.

[secondvariety]

2. Ouch.

You meant no harm, though.

[warrior1]

3. Clearly that was an innocent mistake

Try not to beat yourself up over that.

[cyberswede]

5. Ack. But you had no way of knowing.

I once complimented a casual acquaintance on her stylish new hairdo (in front of a group of coworkers), only to be informed later by one of the coworkers that it was a wig, because she'd recently had chemo for breast cancer.

[mokawanis]

6. An honest mistake

I know how it feels, only my blunder was much worse. I once laughed out loud at a co-worker who was crying, because I was sure they were faking it and going for laughs. The person forgave me and we worked together for many years, but I still cringe when I think about it.

[Moondog]

8. Don't. That could happen to anyone.

[Arkansas Granny]

10. The timing was unfortunate, but how were you to know?

I'm sure your former coworker realized that you meant no harm.

[In_The_Wind]

12. sigh ... It was not your fault.

[bluesbassman]

13. Hmm. Corporate life...

I seriously doubt the person even connected the two. Your joke was taken in the spirit it was made last Friday, and today's event was a whole different issue for your coworker. Don't beat yourself up over it because I'm sure they're not dwelling on it.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

14. this is why when I am at work I keep my mouth shut and stay in my lane. especially with times being

what they are. people are getting fired left and right.

[arcane1]

15. Maybe, when they tell their friends about being fired, they include the joke as the funny part.

At least, that's what I would be talking myself into, if I had cracked the joke (which I totally would have)

I would still feel like an ass hole, I can totally relate to your post. Been there

[olddots]

16. How were you to know ?

Was she packing her things in a box or just rearranging things ? You are a nice person for caring -don't beat your self up we all say thing like this eventually just by being alive.
Here is my best blunder= I was working at an important clients house and asked the wife when her child was due .Her answer was he was 2 months old .

[pipi_k]

17. Awww...

We've all been there at one time or another, and like others have said...you didn't mean any harm.

OK, a little story that I hope makes you feel better.

An ex boyfriend had a buddy who was always sticking his foot in his mouth. Not from malice. Just because...

So anyway he and a bunch of people are hanging around at another buddy's house when he starts getting a little free with his language. Lots of swearing.

One of the guys says to him, "Hey, can you tone it down a little? My girl is sitting right here".

The first one is truly repentant because he's not the type of person to disrespect anyone, so he says, "Oh, I'm sorry man...I thought she was a guy"

Which he didn't mean the way it sounds, but it got a little awkward for a while there.

He was really a very nice guy...just sort of clueless.

[hibbing]

18. shit happens

Hi,
Well that's a bummer. The person probably has a lot more pressing things on their mind with the job loss than worry about a comment like that. Like others have said you had no way of knowing. I'm trying to do like Tuesday Afternoon also, keeping my head down and working. There are people all over getting canned, some in my own family it blows.

Hang in there and you can always get a message relayed to the person somehow as was mentioned previously.

Peace

[talkingmime]

19. Ouch! Don't take it hard on yourself. You didn't mean to hurt his/her feelings.

I'm sure that coworker was aware that nobody else knew about the dismissal and didn't take it as an insult. I've had to lay off, dismiss, and yes, fire employees. I keep it low key and I'm pretty sure they've heard similar things. It's a difficult situation on both sides of the table. You didn't do anything wrong at all. You just cracked a joke, nothing more.