My complaint:
This complaint is due to a situation I heard from my brother that worked at said location. An employee filed a complaint against him, then he was spoke to by the manager and HR. He then quit due to this situation. He used the word gay while describing something (ex. that’s gay that didn’t work out for you), not someone, not using it to harass or bully someone or not trying to intentionally hurt someone’s feelings.
Seems as if the employee(s) need a little more education. If you take a look at 3 you’ll see that using the word gay is a slang word that most of the population uses (gay or not). This slang word should not be considered harmful unless directed towards someone or intentionally using it in an harmful way. If someone takes a slang word (especially one that’s been used longer than one has been born used by most of the population) as offensive (again, meaning it is not being used intentionally hurtful towards someone), then one should not have a job. It’s immature to report someone over and it’s immature and ignorant to not understand the differences in the meaning of one word. If one can get so upset enough to report an employee over this slang word, then one should report everyone for using every other slang word. For ex. the word dumb is of a person unable to speak, most typically because of congenital deafness or can be used to describe a situation just being dumb. You can’t pick and choose which ones hurt you when they’re not even directed towards you andor not intentionally harmful. However, I do understand how one can take offense, their thought process of how it might be inappropriate, but that’s where there’s a lot of growing up to do.
– Coming from someone who’s proud to be part of the LGBTQ community, who still uses slang words (ex. gay) in their vocabulary and does not become offended if heard from a different person.
Also, I’m aware this may be immature to send in a complaint about my brother because he is his own person and an adult, and it’s even a little embarrassing doing so, but this situation is quite literally dumb and hurtful to hear from my brother. He really enjoyed working there. He was happy. But him nor anyone should have to take such immature complaints. Once that employee complained there should’ve been a meeting between the people involved in this situation to discuss it. Ex. could be, my brother explaining how he didn’t intentionally mean it in a hurtful way and the employee explaining why he took it the way he did, then coming up with a game plan. That’s how people grow and how you have a better work environment. I believe this situation was handled unfairly and for someone to go as far as filing a complaint against someone for this type of situation seems like that employee has it out for the employee they’re complaining about.
Suggested solution:
Maybe a group huddle on slang words, how one might take one as hurtful, how one may use one in their everyday vocabulary and what can be done on both sides to better that sort of situation. I don't believe complaints should be filed against anyone who uses a slang word as long as it's not harmful or directed towards someone. Again, maybe a talk between the people who were involved, but not as far as filing a complaint against someone. Or even accepting a complaint against someone when no intentional harm was done.
