Man Fired Over Dilbert Cartoon Wins Case
A judge has ruled in favor of an employee who was fired after posting a Dilbert cartoon that poked fun at managers.
The Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, Iowa fired David Steward for posting the cartoon on an office bulletin board shortly after management announced that the casino would be closing and that 170 employees would be laid off.
“Basically,” HR Director Steve Morley testified, “he was accusing the decision-makers of being drunken lemurs.” “We consider that misconduct when you insult your employer.”
The cartoon depicted the following conversation between Dilbert and another character:
“Why does it seem as if most of the decisions in my workplace are made by drunken lemurs?”
“Decisions are made by people who have time, not people who have talent.”
“Why are talented people so busy?”
“They’re fixing the problems made by people who have time.”
Steward testified that he posted the cartoon because he “thought maybe it would cheer some people up.” However, it elicited the opposite reaction from management and he was fired three days later for “not being a team player.”
Administrative Law Judge Lynette Donner ruled in favor of Steward, calling his actions a “good-faith error in judgment” rather than intentional misconduct.
Even Dilbert creator Scott Adams weighed in on the decision. “Most ‘Dilbert’ comics dont’ come right out and call management a bunch of drunken lemurs,” Adams said. “So I can see how this one might have been a tad over the line.”
December 22nd, 2007 at 5:12 am
Dave Steward was my supervisor and I was an employee that was laid off. So many were upset over the closing of the boat. The cartoon boosted morale, and by him being fired it made mad employees even angrier. They wanted to weed out anyone they could any way they could. Posting the cartoon was harmless and his time in with the company should have been a factor and a warning should have been administered.