How would you handle this scenario: someone came to you in HR and said their manager told them “I know you identify as black, but I see you as just Jamie” (name fake for anonymity purposes)

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I am speechless. Is there even a need to bring that up? Well, sometimes all you need to have in this world is a whole lot of patience.

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1) Investigation is key here.
2) Ask the accused and the complainant regarding the conversation and ask for any witnesses.
3) This comment seems disrespectful and inappropriate. Is this a one off incident or is there a pattern of behavior?
4) Apply corrective action or coaching according to your policy and guidelines.

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I agree that an inquiry should ensue, but without your own predetermined interpretation.

I’d want to learn more about Jamie’s history with this colleague, this colleague with others, and determine if it a one off comment or a series of comments or a patterns of more serious behaviors. It helps to understand why the person has voiced the concern.

I had a similar instance and the colleague was really just trying to engage on a topic that they were uncomfortable with and it just wasn’t the right approach didn’t go over well for the individual.

It’s likely a coaching conversation about perception and awareness and retaliation will need to take place, and beyond if you discover more serious infractions.

Kind of a weird context but not illegal to tell someone that you don’t see them for their skin color. However without knowing the context of the conversation it’s hard to really give an opinion. So I would say you need to find out more to determine if there is a course of action needed.

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Wow! I'm not even sure how this conversation happened. Do you have any more context? Why would someone just say this out of the blue?

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It was around MLK day. The manager suggested that people volunteer instead of taking the day to do as they wish and then directed that comment to the employee when they mentioned that asking folks to volunteer isn’t really appropriate and could be viewed as free labor

Ummm, is this person Black? But also, the manager should not be saying such things. Being presumptuous that people identify as anything…🥴

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It’s defined as microaggression:
mi·cro·ag·gres·sion
NOUN
a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority; indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group

The manager requires sensitivity training.

No law violation there. Go find another safe space to crawl into.

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CA1, it just depends IMO. If you work for a conservative company that doesn’t make business or hiring decisions based on the current “woke culture” running rampant through corporate America, then it sets the tone that someone is valued by their performance and not their membership to any protected class. GO WOKE, GO BROKE. 🤷🏽‍♂️

It's giving bumbling boomer and I'm not here for it 🤦‍♀️

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I would speak with both employees to understand the context of the situation. So seems like the employee impacted told you their side, now i would get the managers perspective. Also talk to any witnesses to corroborate the stories. Based on what you gather from further investigation, i would then have to make a decision. If the manager was all the way in the wrong like the employee mentioned, has this happened before? What prompted this manager to say something like this?

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Fire fire fire. Everyone is racist and racism needs to stop immediately. Make every racist unemployed and then they will be homeless and that will teach them to never ever ever speak of someone’s skin color. Fire fire fire

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someone trying to say they see you for who you are vs skin color. seems well intentioned but still dumb. i’d ignore it.

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This person is so racist and should be homeless for trying to navigate through this new whole waters. Fire her or him. They should never ever work again in their lifetime.

Let’s look at the perception. A.) The manager might have misspoke and didn’t mean to offend the employee but in asking for clarification an issue occurred. B.) The manager is in violation of a company policy if one exists and action should be taken for their behavior if the manager is expected to uphold policies. C.) The employee could have taken the conversation out of context and played victim for other reasons not listed. All sides need to be taken into account to make a decision I would say.

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The racist is wrong wrong wrong. He should be sued in civil court

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That’s so odd - I would ask them what propelled them to say this - and then if needed remind them to please see me as Jamie who is racially defined as black. On the flip side, do you though … I would take it offensively - maybe a bit off putting.

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Did the manager think this was a serve? It is highly outrageous in appropriate to say. Shame on him for that

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Yeah why would something like that even come up

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Sorry I meant to say I wouldn’t find it offensive

We need more context. I believe the HR needs it more than we do. Know both sides of the story.

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