I have heard it is really hard for some people to let go of others in a company – I mean telling someone on their face that they have been fired is the worst job on earth. Then there are other ways of getting the person to quit – which in turn backfires. This lady, a financial controller in Auckland, who was fired because she sent “confrontational” emails with words in red, in bold and in capital letters. Vivki Walker who worked with ProCare Health for two years was accused of causing disharmony in the workplace by using block capitals, bold typeface and red text in her emails and that she had also acted provocatively in seeking to view complaints laid against her by colleagues. In her defense she said they talked about a number of emails she had sent, yet used only one in evidence which advises her team how to fill out staff claim forms, specifies a time and date highlighted in bold red, and a sentence written in capitals and highlighted in bold blue. It reads: “To ensure your staff claim is processed and paid, please do follow the below checklist.”

Of course it went to the court and she has been awarded $17,000 for unfair dismissal. She plans to take it further though for more compensation and is now calling for greater protection for white-collar workers from the financial, emotional and mental stresses involved in a dispute with a big corporate employer. She is really sore because she is a single woman with a mortgage. She said: ‘I had to re-mortgage my home and borrow money from my sister to make it through. They nearly ruined my life.’ Let justice prvail.
[Nzherald]