Not About Hot Dogs

Today there was a column in The Kansas City Star about a woman who was fired from her server position at a very upscale restaurant. She was fired for blogging about restaurant life on a website. Her column, In The Weeds, was funny,  insightful and most importantly, well written and true. She never identified her place of employment or "named names." She was fired, nonetheless, because management was uncomfortable with her observations. 

People who work in the food world apparently do not have the same rights as others, such as freedom of speech. There was never any threat to her place of employment, because she never named them. I couldn't even guess where she worked when I read her blogs because it could have been any number of places. She was fired anyway. How weird!

Can you post a link to the article, or to her blog?

You may not know where she works but all her friends do. If she works in the restaurant she should be either for them or against them. I guess she picked her path. If my employees talk bad about me or my business I tell them to go someplace that they will be happy. Hit the road jack, this business is hard to be successful and we don't need people making it harder for us to succeed.................Bill

Here is a link to the Blogsite. It has the link to the KC Star column as well as the In The Weeds blogs. I don't know if you will need to register to see the column in the KC Star.

http://frothygirlz.com/

I don't think she talked bad about them. Her observations are spot on, not bad. She was telling the truth about working in the restaurant world.  She loved her job and felt it was a good profession. I don't think being realistic about one's position should preclude the right to free speech.

  As a waitress I may be somewhat biased...  But I thought the stereotype blog was SPOT ON!!! she wasn't talking about her restaurant at all , any and all those stereotypes could ( and DO ) happen at ALL restaurants, Anywhere!!   So what's the beef?!  very strange......    Thank You, come again!   Dawn 

BillyB


You may not know where she works but all her friends do. If she works in the restaurant she should be either for them or against them. I guess she picked her path. If my employees talk bad about me or my business I tell them to go someplace that they will be happy. Hit the road jack, this business is hard to be successful and we don't need people making it harder for us to succeed.................Bill

I'd suggest reading her blog before reaching a conclusion on your opinion.  Zataar has provided the link.

Hey Nic, .............I did read her blog and I wouldn't hire someone that complains about everything.
doesn't like seperate checks from a party of single women. in her words to the penny splitting.
 Doesn't like sports figures, to demanding and no big tippers.
Doesn't like family Holiday meals because on disfunctional families.
doesn't like local celebs same reason as sports figures.

now she wants anonymity so she could look for a new job, she should have thought about that at her last job.

This lady sounds a lot like one of the big ranters on another message board I post at.

She whats anonymity from blogging.  Hell I'm on here on roadfood and fired myself 3 times yesterday, twice last week for needing a hair cut. Keep showing back up though.

The younger set just ain't got no couth at times.

And they think there is privacy on the net.

Jeez.

Those of us who were in the service were taught a thing or two about keeping our mouths shut. But we have seen so many instances of people without such training who posted things on the Internet that came back to bite them. The server worked for a privately-held chain of restuarants. She named the firm in her blog entry of June 5th, 2009. Its hard to tell who decided to fire her or why. She did describe an incident involving an American Express card that would have outed her. If she was using a computer at the restaurant to post her essays or communicate with the blog owners, then she was dead meat. These chain restaurants have IT departments, you see, looking for people surfing on company time. I think she laid it on at times, but I think it was supposed to be a humorous read.

The problem in that if you work for somebody, you do have to watch what you say and write about your employer. The pizza delivery guys  over at tipthepizzaguy post a lot of inside information, but are street-smart enough not to get caught, and there are so many employees that it is hard to finger someone. For others, they just have to be very careful.

I just hope the lady gets a writing job someplace.

zataar

I don't think being realistic about one's position should preclude the right to free speech.

I know that this isn't the point of your argument, but the right to free speech is protected in the United States Constitution.  It prohibits Congress from making laws that will inhibit one's right to free speech.  She was not arrested for saying anything, and she broke no laws.

However, if you think that there should be no consequences for one's ability to say whatever they want....well, that just ain't the way it is.  She spoke her mind, her boss objected to it, she suffered the ramifications.

The issue that I have is that if she were writing a truly anonymous blog, when confronted about it, why didn't she just answer "what blog?"  I do know of people who write absolutely anonymous blogs - but, most (even those that claim they do) do not.  They tell their friends about their blog.  They link to their "anonymous" blog from their facebook page, etc.  Clearly, she wasn't THAT anonymous if her boss found out what she was writing. 

Lastly, and I hate to make this about the law - but, I have a sneaky suspicion if the idea of lawsuit hasn't already been broached, it will - there is precedence for this kind of firing.  Because of my interest in travel, I was an early followed of the blog entitled "Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant."  Though she never mentioned her employer, by name, in her postings, the airline became aware of her blog and canned her.  Her wiki entry is here.  While you will notice that she has sued Delta, there is no resolution to this - and she has now been not working for Delta for about five years.  Without the ability to make money for five years, you are going to have a hard time fighting a big, multi-national company (even a broke one like Delta) for too long.

Understand....I am not saying that I agree with the firing, but I understand.  People need to learn (and learn quickly) that if you post something on the Internet, anyone - ANY WHERE - any time - can see it.  In most cases....FOREVER.  The picture of you doing a bong hit that is posted on your friend's facebook page - guess what?  An prospective employer can see it.  The "anonymous" blog post about your suck-ass job?  Your boss can read it, too.

   But she's NOT complaining about her job, She's just yappin' about the crazy folks we have to wait on!!! 

David_NYC


Those of us who were in the service were taught a thing or two about keeping our mouths shut. But we have seen so many instances of people without such training who posted things on the Internet that came back to bite them. The server worked for a privately-held chain of restuarants. She named the firm in her blog entry of June 5th, 2009. Its hard to tell who decided to fire her or why. She did describe an incident involving an American Express card that would have outed her. If she was using a computer at the restaurant to post her essays or communicate with the blog owners, then she was dead meat. These chain restaurants have IT departments, you see, looking for people surfing on company time. I think she laid it on at times, but I think it was supposed to be a humorous read.

The problem in that if you work for somebody, you do have to watch what you say and write about your employer. The pizza delivery guys  over at tipthepizzaguy post a lot of inside information, but are street-smart enough not to get caught, and there are so many employees that it is hard to finger someone. For others, they just have to be very careful.

I just hope the lady gets a writing job someplace.

Amen - the Internet is very tempting for youngsters and those not wise to the ways of the world.

I am astonished daily by what folks post.

It is mind-boggling.

Yes, I can agree that one must pay consequences in regard to posting opinions on the internet or other ways publicly. Just ask Anthony Bourdain. He made a chunk of money writing Kitchen Confidential, didn't get fired from Les Halles, and made even MORE money writing The Nasty Bits. Dang, why didn't I think of that before he did? :-)