Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/12/01/email_will_get_you_fired/

Email will get you fired

Look out if you're a Sikh or a Christian

By Kieren McCarthy

Posted in Legal, 1st December 2000 16:40 GMT

Funny medium, email. And one likely to get you the sack - whether you're being nice or nasty.

A Sikh police sergeant is to be offered his job back after he was fired for sending "racist hate mail". On the other hand, a born-again Christian working for British Airways was fired for "harassing" a fellow worker with offers of talks and advice.

Gurpal Virdi was angry at being turned down for promotion and was considering a case of racial discrimination against the Metropolitan Police, a tribunal heard. Shortly after, several internal emails - one of which read "Not wanted. Keep the police white, so leave now or else" - were sent out. The Met carried out an investigation and found that Mr Virdi had sent them and promptly fired him.

However, the employment tribunal found that the investigation was flawed and racist. The sender of the emails was not known and there were several suspects, including a white, female officer. While others were given informal interviews, Mr Virdi was not and was the only person whose house was searched. Gurpal had a 16-year clean record in the police force and still professes his innocence.

He is to be offered his job back but has said he won't accept unless given a full, formal apology.

Meanwhile, born-again Christian Wendy Creed was fired for repeatedly sending emails offering support to her colleague who had just split from his wife. He wasn't so keen on the offer but Wendy just a-kept-on trying to help him. BA's management eventually asked her to stop.

But Wendy is so dedicated to make everyone's lives better that she ignored the order and kept sending the mails. So she was fired for gross misconduct. And lost her tribunal case. ®