Was Employee Laid Off for Voting for Obama?

[Mari333]

Last Friday, someone going by the name "dermdoc" posted a thread on a message board for the Texas A&M football team with this topic: "Laid off my first Obama voting employee today."

"Our reimbursement rates are spiraling downward, taxes are projected to go up with Obamacare, so I did it," the person wrote. He later added: "I made this decision because I can."

"It is kind of interesting watching their face as you explain to them the economic consequences of the policies of the guy they voted for," wrote dermdoc.







http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001984-503544.html?tag=exclsv

that was just plain mean .

[Arkana]

1. I sincerely doubt this guy had the stones to fire anyone

because of "OBAMACARE".

It's called "Internet Tough Guy Syndrome".

[Turbineguy]

2. And another Lawyer

gets a new BMW.

[Scurrilous]

3. How do you get a Texas A & M graduate off your front porch?

You pay for your pizza!

*groan*

[Guilded Lilly]

4. Obamacare will be used quite a bit as an excuse for

*just plain mean* in the coming months. Expect more of it. Until we actually see what will come of any of these changes, many people are going to be nasty. Nasty is easier. Change is tough. Takes a lot more strength of character.

Though I agree with Arkana.
Lot's of BS tough guys hiding behind Internet anonymity.

[Union Yes]

5. Just asking- Isn't it illegal to discriminate against an employee due to politics?

knr this thread needs a lot of exposure.

[kelly1mm]

6. Surprisingly in most US states, no. Political affiliation is not a

protected class for employment law and so if you are in a "right to work" state without a contract you are basically an at will employee an can be fired for almost any reason, or no reason at all.

[differnet]

14. It's a civil rights violation

While political affiliation is not always protected under state law being able to vote for whomever you feel is the best candidate is a constitutionally protected right. In short, what happened here is a violation of civil rights. You cannot intimidate anyone in a vote nor can you retaliate against them for their vote.

[Kievan Rus]

19. +5000

Welcome to DU!

[Brickbat]

17. A "right to work" provision is not the same as "at-will employment."

In a "right to work" (or "right to scab") state, you are not required to join the union when you're hired in a union shop.

"At-will employment" is what it sounds like.

[RagAss]

7. Chances are this fucker flips burgers.

[Jokinomx]

8. The sad thing is - unless he was a union member... a company can fire or layoff at will....

No reason needed.... The American way....

Unionize today.. and save a job or at least force the company to be fair about it.

:toast:

[mudplanet]

9. That's ok. Last December I waited in the parking lot, noted everyone with a

Bush bumper sticker, and fired the lot of them. It's an "at will" state, so there's nothing they can do. Their man nearly bankrupted the entire country, so they deserved it.

I heard recently that one of them had been unable to find work and had lost his house, and another on got seriously ill and his wife had left him. Thems the breaks.

[differnet]

15. What you did was illegal.

You cannot retaliate against anyone for their voting. That's a civil rights violation. If your ex-employees ever discovered that is what you did, they could sue you and take you for everything you own. And I would support them. We are better than that.

[Enrique]

10. CBS news wrote a whole story about an anonymous web posting?

...it is possible that his claim about laying off an Obama voter was grounded at least to some extent in bravado.

ya think? :eyes:

[Mari333]

13. yes, I found that odd, too.

[Initech]

11. If someone fired me for that reason I'd sue their ass big time.

[deaniac21]

12. Jesus, this is an aggies forum. How could you possibly take

anything on there seriously? We have keyboard courage stories made up on DU every hour.

[differnet]

16. Perhaps a little public outing would be in order

I think it would be very intersting to find out who DermDoc is....

[Kievan Rus]

18. This is why "at will employment" needs to be ended

To be brutally honest with you, I think it would be an even bigger victory for the people than healthcare reform.

When asked "what should progressives push for next after HCR," this was my answer.