Buddy Merrill
Merill Lynch analyst got fired because of explicit/inappropriate email?
I recently heard a story about a Merrill Lynch (I think) analyst who got fired because of an explicit email. He was sent to Asia and wrote a very descriptive and sexually explicit email to a buddy in New York. He was found out and fired on the spot, and the email made the rounds to every major bank so he couldn’t get another job in the industry. This was maybe about 15 years ago. Does anyone remember this or have any links or anything about this story?
Secondly, is this even legal- isn’t firing someone because of a private email an invasion of privacy?
Right before Daimler bought Chrysler (in the late 90s), Chrysler instituted a corporate policy barring personal emails of any kind.
For months, all they did is issue a few warnings and tell people that at some uncertain date, there would be no more warnings and firings.
Around that time, there was a email going around called “bearded”, basically it was a huge, obese woman that was, shall we say, very hairy.
Over a dozen employees were fired for passing this email. Then in the following weeks, a few more employees were fired for sending ANY personal email, even a note to their spouse.
Come to find out that 1-the wasted resources and time were racking up into the millions, and 2-they had guaranteed Daimler that the deal would stay secret until the purchase was officially announced.
All legal and none of the employees qualified for unemployment and none that sued, won.
When you are on your bosses time, he has the right to NOT pay you to call your bf/gf, or surf porn. He surely has the right to protect his company image.
And we wonder why our jobs are going to third world countries.
Buddy Merrill plays “South” on the Fender Steel Guitar
