is this harassment? help!!!

Caroliso

An employee came to me with what looked to be a parking ticket that had been placed on her high-end SUV parked in our company lot. Upon closer inspection it was a violation notice made up to look like a ticket, which warned drivers of SUV's of the damage they were inflicting on the environment by driving such a vehicle. pretty clever way to get across an anti-polluting-vehicles message, actually, and you can order them online. but not welcomed by everyone, as I learned.
This particular ticket had a handwritten messge on it: "do you honestly need this unsafe obnoxious auto? or are you just another selfish, wasteful person who thinks that flaunting arrogance and wealth is cool?" the employee who brought me the ticket was quite upset, and felt threatened. our lot is wide open, people in the neighborhood cut through all the time, and she is worried about her car being vandalized or worse. this employee is not a "troublemaker," is one of my most levelheaded and trusted staff. But she was clearly freaked.
The story continues. After checking with me she called the police and asked to file a report in case something happened in the future. She also wondered if this happened in other places and if there was any recent string of vandalisms in our area. An officer came and said there were occasionally vandalisms but nothing recent or sustained. He said he would take a report if something happened.
She then wondered if someone in the organization had done this so she asked around discreetly. She learned that 5 0r 6 people in a particular large department had received these anonymously on their desks, with no written message. They didn't make a big deal of them, just read them and tossed them. (The tickets without the handwritten message are fact-laden if a bit preachy). But it led my employee to believe the author of her message is a fellow employee, and she feels further violated and wants me to send out a message to staff.
I want to be responsive, but we don't have any policies about handing out "activist' literature and no one else has complained to me. None of the other tickets had handwritten messages on them. The "evidence" points to an internal distributor, but I suppose it could be someone visiting the office who decided to fire one parting shot at a car parked in the lot. (although how they would know on whose desk to put these I'm not sure) I don't want to damn the organzation on the basis of one message, but i want this person to feel safe as well. She just wants folks to be aware, and to perhaps be vigilant about watching for suspicous activity in the lot, and she wants the person who wrote this, if it's an employee, to know that the message hurt and scared her. (but she doesn't want to be named)
What would you do? Send out an e-mail to staff about this one incident and warning against harassing behvior? Try to reassure the employee?

Parabeagle

Check your no-solicitation policy. Ours prohibits the distribution of flyers on company premises on company time for any purpose. Your "ticket" which espouses a conservationist's position, would qualify as a violation of our policy. If you have the policy, e-mail a reminder to everyone about it -- at least it shows you're taking action based upon the knowledge that it's occurring. As far as your SUV employee is concerned, it's kind of tough to claim harassment without an alleged harasser and I doubt that leaving a few flyers around which no other employees apparently find upsetting would rise to the level of hostile environment harassment. Besides, there's no protected class status involved (I don't think SUV owners have been identified as a protected class - yet).

hrbanker

Although SUV owners aren't a protected group (at least not in Ohio), the notes seem to be insulting and intimidating. Anytime a group is singled out and harassed it should be addressed. I would remind employees that intimidating behavior in the workplace will not be tolerated. I would also ask the local police to patrol the parking lot if possible during business hours, and especially when employees are most likely to be coming and going from the building. The employee may be worried about her SUV, but I would be more concerned about her personal safety and that her warning was more threatening with the handwritten additions.

Don D

Although I don't think this qualifies as harassment under any labor law, it's a milder note than I found on my SUV one day when I parked rather crooked. The thing looked like a ticket and said, "If you xxxx like you park, you'll never get it in."

mamhradm

Thanks, Don,
I'm leaving laughing today!!

mrbill

My quick answer is - this is not harassment, however, I can understand how the employee would be upset. I have heard of these tickets prior, and I have not read of any tie-in to vandalism.
With that being said, it is an example of how freaked out people,in general, are about their cars. It is considered to be a prized possession. I personally do not fall in line with this, since I consider a car to be the worst investment that a person can make.
I would simply take a report of this, and ask the employee to report any further situations. If there are any more, other than further ticketing, then action is warranted.
As a final comment, the individual should read the studies on SUV's (trucks), and in particular should know of the roll-over tendencies of these vehicles.

Balloonman

Fact is these environmentalist wackos are killing trees to preach their message. Shame on them. If the activity were to continue, depending on what other personal messages were written I could see this creating a "hostile work environment". Remember often harrassment is in the eye of the beholder.
Just like all restrictions on preaching at work this should be disallowed also. While I don't know if I would send an email out over it if you have any all employee meetings I might touch on it, let them no that it needs to stop and if it does violate your no solicitation policy state so.
As for people and their cars, it comes down to people need to respect each others property. Just like some people are into other collectables, some people are into their cars, nothing wrong with that.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Don D

I take mild exception to Mr. Bill's admonition that we should read some sort of literature he finds interesting on the rollover tendencies of SUVs. That's part of the same message of the nut running around posting notes in the parking lot that caused this discussion. Hell, instead, let's read articles on the tendency for certain metals in compact vehicles to be crushed flat when they come in close proximity to the metals of an 18-wheeler!

Do we now start another subject area where we can post things like: Rollover Tendencies of SUVs, Cancelling Company Picnics Due To Ultra-Violet Rays, How HR Reps Can Avoid The Common Cold By Never Shaking An Applicant's Hand, What Are They Putting In Your Hamburger In The Company Cafeteria, etc, etc, etc? I just traded my second Ford SUV for the largest 8 cylinder extended cab Ford makes and I think my motorcycle has the largest engine of any except one other. Sorry Bill, I just don't feel I need to have subtle preaching launched at me on the Forum.8-|

ritaanz

Oh my gawd!! A Ford????

Trinity

So how do you really feel Don? ;;)

LisaMN

I'll go with the poster who mentioned the no solicitation policy and a reminder to everyone on the staff that it exists and what it prohibits.

Don't really see the hostile work environment thing. I'm sure you still have to be a member of a protected class for that to work. (poor poor pitiful SUV drivers)x:'(

We've had a couple issues just lately in regard to people's polictics and MN new concealed carry law. It amazes me the forums people will use to further their private agendas.

As a final thought, I think your employee really over-reacted. A wee bit defensive?

Caroliso

Thanks for all replies so far.

We have no no-solicitation policy, and this doesn't make me want to create one yet, so i didn't have that to stand on.

I did a little third party investigating and found out that the tickets had been distributed at a local artist's open studio. The other folks I heard of having them had picked them up at the open studio, given them to a few others directly, and a few conversations ensued about what a good tool they were, but how they oughtn't to be put on cars. That isn't to say that it didn't wind up in the hands of an employee willing to intimidate, but I felt at that point that I wanted to say something in case others had gotten them on their cars, but I didn't want to point a finger at people. So I sent out a message which explained what the complaining person had gotten; that our lot is occasionally subjected to leafletting but that this was beyond that and we didn't condone intimidation tactics; and that it was important to us that people feel safe in the lot. I asked folks to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to me or my Facilities Manager. This acknowledged the event, made the complaining employee feel like I had taken action, opened the door for any one else to report a similar incident, but didn't accuse people.

To the person who asked if the employee didn't over-react, you may be right, but when you feel threatened, you feel threatened. I had no doubt that this person worried for the next few times she went to her car whether it had been vandalized, and people oughtn't to have to worry about this regardless of the type of car they drive. Knowing that others might be looking out made her feel safe, and it's something I want folks to do anyway because it is an open lot in an urban area, and can be subject to all sorts of mishaps.

Thanks for all the comments, they helped me shape a response that felt right for us and for the situation. And thanks to Don for the giggle.... There a few people here who park like that and I thought of them right away. They better watch out -- I just may drop his story on them if pushed. In the meantime, I am chomping at the bit for the right situation to repeat this funny anecdote!! (i don't think the complaining employee would appreciate it at the moment.......... )