Is it wrong/offensive/racist to post quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr in a workplace environment?
A new employee came to me visibly upset. They told me that when they asked a co-worker for help, their co-worker told them that they are not responsible for helping them and said to go find help elsewhere. When I heard this I assured the new employee that I would address this issue and that it was company policy to work as a team and each person should feel free to ask for help from another – especially a question.
Due to circumstances I did not have ability to speak with the employee that refused to help her co-worker when this event occurred ( she was working and not free to talk).
I did however post a policy that stated the following:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.†MLK Jr.
&
“We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. MLK Jr.
We are here for the customers, ourselves & each other. We are a team – we help each other!
As employees of XXXXXXXXX we must all work together to help one another especially when a coworker requests or needs help!
No exceptions!
*If anyone has a question about this policy … come see me.
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What I received from the employee that refused to help her co-worker was a statement that I was a racist & that as a white man i was not allowed to quote a black man especially MLK Jr. It was also stated that I needed to apologize for the offensive posting. Am i going crazy?
Due to circumstances I did not have ability to speak with the employee that refused to help her co-worker when this event occurred ( she was working and not free to talk).
I did however post a policy that stated the following:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.†MLK Jr.
&
“We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. MLK Jr.
We are here for the customers, ourselves & each other. We are a team – we help each other!
As employees of XXXXXXXXX we must all work together to help one another especially when a coworker requests or needs help!
No exceptions!
*If anyone has a question about this policy … come see me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I received from the employee that refused to help her co-worker was a statement that I was a racist & that as a white man i was not allowed to quote a black man especially MLK Jr. It was also stated that I needed to apologize for the offensive posting. Am i going crazy?
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