Does this offend you?

worleygirl · June 2014

I work in a large office. We have 1k plus people and 4 nice exclusive pumping rooms. I walked into the one I use this morning and found flyers left on the counter for an employee's side business selling weight loss wraps. I happen to know who the person is and they are not a nursing mother. I'm not offended personally but I'm going to turn the material in to her manager to address. I think it was highly inappropriate to leave it there. What say you J14?

worleygirl · June 2014

It does violate company policy actually.

sugarland726 · June 2014

Eh. Not a big deal. If you're pumping, you have a baby under 12 months and you probably want to lose the baby weight. I'd consider it targeted marketing, like putting tampon ads in the women's bathroom and not the men's.

SandFHasse · June 2014

I don't think its offensive. I'd just ignore it or throw it away.

amt0312 · June 2014

I would not turn the material in to the manager to address with the employee because it could end up getting them fired for something pretty benign. Why not just bring it up to the employee instead and say "Hey, listen, you probably don't want to put those flyers in the pump rooms because its against policy and I don't want you getting fired."

valigrl21 · June 2014

I wouldn't be offended by it. A lot of women that were recently pregnant want to lose weight so it just seems like smart marketing to advertise there.

bensmommy518 · June 2014

I would be more upset by a non-nursing mother being in the pumping room than the content of the flyers.

worleygirl · June 2014

People just don't think. I swear.

sugarland726 · June 2014

worleygirl said:

People just don't think. I swear.

Actually I disagree. I think this woman did think and put her advertisement in an area where there is likely a higher concentration of people wanting to lose weight.

worleygirl · June 2014

sugarland726 said:

worleygirl said:

People just don't think. I swear.

Actually I disagree. I think this woman did think and put her advertisement in an area where there is likely a higher concentration of people wanting to lose weight.

I should have clarified but I meant in reference to violating company policy. I get why they put them in that specific location.

Unknown · June 2014

This content has been removed.

growingmybun · June 2014

You really have to give some thought to an action that could cost someone their job. Think about their situation and how that could really impact their life. Offended or not, it's really unkind of you to report the person.

worleygirl · June 2014

I'm in Sr. leadership so I ultimately have to think about the impact on the workforce and the HR ramifications. Kind doesn't really come into play. I'm confident I was the last one out of the room the night before and the first one into the room today so I removed the material and disposed of it. I'm going to assume no one else saw it.

worleygirl · June 2014

@tarajeannette‌ I feel very fortunate!

growingmybun · June 2014

Come on with the senior leadership stuff, it's not an HR issue and you know it.

Pinknights · June 2014

I'm going to put my two cents in this wrap thing with a similar incident. I was having lunch at a restaurant in the last few days of pregnancy and an employee have me a flyer for body wraps to lose weight. I couldn't have been more offended. I was still pregnant!

But once I got over it, I thought it just in poor taste. I think that you shouldn't conduct personal business in a place of work like that. I have strong ethical feelings about the workplace and it's what bothers me about that incident still today. I would give the employee the benefit if the doubt because you never know people's situation. But perhaps make a memo saying personal flyers in the breastfeeding rooms are not allowed. Then if they continue, you can report them.

worleygirl · June 2014

growingmybun said:
Come on with the senior leadership stuff, it's not an HR issue and you know it.

Are you being serious? It is absolutely an HR issue. Violating company policy in a manner that could be offensive to employees... I won't go on.

SarahA918 · June 2014

Yeah that person did the wrong thing. My school district had a problem with people trying to sell things through our districtwide email system. Because it was a violation of policy they were told to stop. The person at your job might not get fired, but it should be reiterated to them by HR that they're breaking policy.

Esthi · June 2014

I would just remove the flyer . But to bring it up with the management . It's not such a big deal after all. And imagine she would get fired .... Could you ever forgive your self ??

umma4babes · June 2014

I think it depends on whether that person is a repeat offender and cannot be subtly reminded of company policy. I don't think I would have been offended by the flyer, but would have been irked that an employee is trying to promote her own business at work. Hopefully her supervisor will remind her of the policy so it doesn't happen again, but not officially reprimand or have her fired. Seems like such a minor offense to warrant such result.

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