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Facebook post costs waitress her job
Charlotte Observer ^ | 05/17/2010 | Eric Frazier

Posted on 05/18/2010 9:43:21 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd

Ashley Johnson had a good job making good money as a waitress at Brixx Pizza on Sixth Street in uptown Charlotte.

But that changed about a week ago, when a couple came in for lunch and stayed for three hours - forcing her to work an hour past her quitting time.

And they left her a tip she thought was pretty measly - $5.

Johnson did what most folks who need a good rant do nowadays. When she got home, she went on Facebook. "Thanks for eating at Brixx," she wrote, "you cheap piece of ---- camper."

And like a growing number of workers, she found out the hard way that what you say on social networks can be used against you, particularly if you're in a position of public trust or public service.

The managers at Brixx called her in a day or two later, she says. They showed her a copy of her Facebook comments and told her she was being fired for violating company policy against speaking disparagingly about customers. A Brixx official said she also violated a second policy against casting the restaurant in a negative light on social networks.

"We definitely care what people say about our customers," said Jeff Van Dyke, one of the partners who run the restaurant.

Johnson, 22, says she apologized to Brixx for using bad judgment. "It was my own fault," she said. "I did write the message. But I had no idea that something that, to me is very small, could result in my losing my job."

(Excerpt) Read more at charlotteobserver.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: facebook; tipping
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To: RockinRight

I can’t stand FaceBook. I have a page, but forgot my passwords and keep getting invites from folks who “want to be my friend”?? I like e-mail better. And, of course, FreeRepublic!


21 posted on 05/18/2010 9:54:57 AM PDT by sneakers
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To: sneakers

I like putting conservative statuses and pissing off my liberal high school classmates who have friended me.


22 posted on 05/18/2010 9:57:16 AM PDT by RockinRight (I can see November from here!)
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To: Responsibility2nd
This is news?!?

Don't take this as a criticism of this type of work. I certainly did my share back in the day. But lets face it, these jobs tend to be a dime a dozen. She's a friggin waitress in a pizza parlor not an executive at Microsoft. So she lost her job. She'll walk down the street to the another pizza parlor and be doing the same job for the same tips tommorrow. I had friends in high school that managed to get fired from every restaurant in town. When they got fired at one, the next day they would be behind the counter at another.

23 posted on 05/18/2010 9:57:26 AM PDT by apillar
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To: Richard Kimball

They were too hard on the girl. Maybe there will be some backlash against Brixx on this. I would not patronize them if I lived nearby.


24 posted on 05/18/2010 9:57:51 AM PDT by Gasshog (going to get what all those libs asked for, but its not what they expected.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

I can understand her frustration but naming the restaurant was a serious no-no. I’d have fired her too.


25 posted on 05/18/2010 9:58:02 AM PDT by pgkdan (I Miss Ronald Reagan!)
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To: Old Teufel Hunden

I never could understand it. And I say this as a good tipper (honest!), but why the heck am I, the customer, part of the restaurant’s labor negotiations? If restaurants don’t have to pay the minimum wage, then waitstaff shouldn’t have to pay taxes on tips.


26 posted on 05/18/2010 9:58:36 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Responsibility2nd

I read all of it. And still side with the server. But I did learn two valuable lessons; one about FB, and two- some people will be a**holes no matter how hard they try not to be.


27 posted on 05/18/2010 9:58:44 AM PDT by cardinal4 (In Obama Land, it is racist to be white..)
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To: Responsibility2nd
I got sucked into facebook because the Tea party people and palin is on there I wouldn't have been on there otherwise. Then a few other people reluctantly were added my wifes family where added.

My own wife who is conservative asked me could you not add 'friends' that are into politics on facebook because my wife doesn't want to mix family with political issues which I totally understand. I told her that is the reason I am on facebook and she dropped it.

Without a doubt there are many social problems with facebook.

28 posted on 05/18/2010 9:58:56 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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To: MollyKuehl

“...But you keep blaming Facebook for your foolishness and lack of judgement.”

Seems to me she is taking responsibilty for her actions and blaming no one.

“Johnson, 22, says she apologized to Brixx for using bad judgment. “It was my own fault,” she said. “I did write the message. But I had no idea that something that, to me is very small, could result in my losing my job.”


29 posted on 05/18/2010 9:59:55 AM PDT by Gettin Betta
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To: pgkdan

I wonder if the company took reasonable steps to make their employees aware of the policy.


30 posted on 05/18/2010 10:00:27 AM PDT by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

$5 for 3 hours “work”, one hour of which was serving one table.


31 posted on 05/18/2010 10:01:48 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Throw the bums out in 2010.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

matter offact, the whole idea of “tipping” and wait-personnel, etc. is in dire need of a major overhaul!!!!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/990925/posts


32 posted on 05/18/2010 10:02:17 AM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)
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To: Steve Van Doorn
Facebooks is evil.
 
 
Five Hidden Dangers of Facebook

Top Ten Reasons You Should Quit Facebook
 
Report: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg doesn't believe in privacy


33 posted on 05/18/2010 10:03:14 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (PALIN/MCCAIN IN 2012 - barf alert? sarc tag? -- can't decide)
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To: Tribune7
A lecture and warning would have been smarter. All this did was give some extra bad publicity to Brixx

Not so. It proves to me that the management of Brixx cares about their public image and demand that their staff show respect for the people paying the bills...the customers.

34 posted on 05/18/2010 10:03:16 AM PDT by pgkdan (I Miss Ronald Reagan!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

When I was going to school, one of my teachers was talking to us about weiting on other people’s walls, weiting in textbooks, ect. She said, “There is an old saying, Fool’s names, fool’s faces, are always seen in public places.” The treminee is living proof of the truth of that saying. That she considered what she did a trivial matter is even a sadder testimony of her bringing up.

But, maybe she learned a lesson.


35 posted on 05/18/2010 10:03:21 AM PDT by sport
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To: Responsibility2nd

Three hours in a pizza joint isn’t two $10 pizzas. It’s about four pitchers of beer.


36 posted on 05/18/2010 10:03:53 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: RockinRight

LOL!!! I do the same thing!


37 posted on 05/18/2010 10:04:50 AM PDT by pgkdan (I Miss Ronald Reagan!)
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To: cardinal4

You really can justify, if you had a business, any of your employees being derogatory towards your customers, the ones making possible for both your business and your employees to make a living and be successful, while mentioning the name of your business? Is that proper business behavior and respect towards the customer?? She made a choice to work in an environment where she will deal with people who will be difficult and tip poorly. Nobody forced her to take that job. I guess being a steward in life is a long forgotten concept for so many!


38 posted on 05/18/2010 10:05:08 AM PDT by MollyKuehl (Contribute to FR: $10 $20 $50 $100 REMEMBER, LURKING IS A FORM OF ENTITLEMENT!!!)
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To: RockinRight
Don’t friend coworkers

Agreed! When I first joined Facebook I quickly became "friends" with all of my coworkers. Then it turned into managers, senior managers and executives. I could not separate my personal life from my professional life so I divorced the two and unfriended everyone I currently worked with.

Tighten down the security settings and strike a balance between personal and professional social-networking.
39 posted on 05/18/2010 10:06:15 AM PDT by TSgt (We will always be prepared, so we may always be free. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: a fool in paradise

Oh Bull Slop.

That is the stupidest remark I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Look at industry standards for tipping. To me, a 25 percent tip, ($5.00) at lunch - is very, very good.


40 posted on 05/18/2010 10:06:36 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (PALIN/MCCAIN IN 2012 - barf alert? sarc tag? -- can't decide)
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