Patriotism takes back seat to company policy
A Tennessee company’s policy against distribution of material without prior approval of its HR department has resulted in the dismissal of a patriotic employee.
Andy Wright took it upon himself to deliver 100 copies of a list of things he and his co-workers at State Industries could do to support the American war effort. One suggestion was that the employees form an investment club and donate the earnings to the government to help get the economy going again.
His boss informed him that he could not distribute the flyers without first submitting them to the HR department and getting its approval. Wright was asked twice to retrieve the flyers, but he refused. He claimed that he would have felt “unpatriotic” doing so.
His lack of cooperation left State Industries with no choice but to fire him, according to the company’s HR director. In addition to the “prior approval” distribution rule, State Industries also has a policy that the penalty for a first offence of insubordination is dismissal.
Andy Wright took it upon himself to deliver 100 copies of a list of things he and his co-workers at State Industries could do to support the American war effort. One suggestion was that the employees form an investment club and donate the earnings to the government to help get the economy going again.
His boss informed him that he could not distribute the flyers without first submitting them to the HR department and getting its approval. Wright was asked twice to retrieve the flyers, but he refused. He claimed that he would have felt “unpatriotic” doing so.
His lack of cooperation left State Industries with no choice but to fire him, according to the company’s HR director. In addition to the “prior approval” distribution rule, State Industries also has a policy that the penalty for a first offence of insubordination is dismissal.
