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Woman fired for USING ALL CAPS IN EMAIL

Woman fired for USING ALL CAPS IN EMAILVicki Walker, an Auckland (New Zealand) accountant, was sacked for sending supposedly confrontational emails with words in red, in bold and in CAPITAL LETTERS.

The Employment Relations Authority in New Zealand ruled that Walker was not fairly terminated from her position after sending the emails to co-workers. Her previous employers, ProCare, have now been ordered to pay New Zealand dollars $17,000 (US $11,500/€8000)  for unfair dismissal.

Fired in December 2007, after two years with the company, ProCare claim Walker had “caused disharmony in the workplace by using block capitals, bold typeface and red text in her emails.”

Walker claims that the one email used in evidence was in regard to how her team should fill claim forms, and specifies a time and date highlighted in bold red, and a sentence written in capitals and highlighted in bold blue. It reads: “To ensure your staff claim is processed and paid, please do follow the below checklist.”

Walker plans to seek further compensation.

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  • YEAH I HATE IT TOO WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT! SHE DESERVES JAIL TIME IF YOU ASK ME.
  • <img src="http://img.skitch.com/20090831-k4eufnkp1cdgk58rh9iqua9icx.jpg" alt="Unleash hell!" />
  • Yarg
    lol I'm saving that image...
  • Tim Briggs
    SHE WAS HONORING BILLY MAYS
  • STFU FAGS
  • Personally I find it rather annoying when people tend to type in all caps. Typing isn't rocket science and turning off caps lock is pretty simple as well. If she can't type, she's got no business being an accountant. The details state that she was explaining how to fill out a form, in which case I could live with that. The text meant to stand out and be edited does it's job in this situation. But I'm referring to the people that think it's the 'new' e-thing to do. it isn't.
  • SOMEGUY
    I'M NOT YELLING, THIS IS HOW I TYPE.
  • PointTaken
    IT'S EASIER TO READ THIS WAY.
  • She won in the end. Pissed off her former employer by typing in all-caps, and get "paid" for it.
  • Using caps in text looks like some body shouting out there that's y they sacked her ;)
  • Typing in all caps is also harder to read. Although it is used to emphasize important passages, it impairs your ability to distinguish letters quickly. Using ALL CAPS means your reader has to focus harder and longer to read what you type. This is probably the reason it became akin to yelling.
  • Scott
    ITS A BLOODY OUTRAGE THAT YOU CANT USE CAPS TO TELL PEOPLE IMPORTANT INFORMATION. I MEAN ITS ALSO DISCRIMINATION AS I'M ALSO DEAF AND AM USED TO PEOPLE YELLING AT ME THAT I FIND COMFORT IN SEEING LETTERS IN UPPERCASE AS THAT ALSO COMFORTS ME.
  • Her explanation sounds reasonable enough. It's those people who think it's cute to type in caps that's the problem. If it's more than two sentences, I'd just ignore whatever it's about and move on.
  • Her reason in this case is ok. But if it was to intimidate people or because she though CAPS made her statements more valid, I'd want her fired as well. LOL. All caps for multiple sentences are painful to look at.
  • div style="color:red; font-weight:bold; font-variant: small-caps;"test/div
  • wendy
    I am reminded of old IRC chats so I went back and got this from bash.org

    //
    Josh: QUESTION FOR EVERYONE....
    SecureXeC: IT'S TO THE LEFT OF YOUR 'A' KEY.
  • Someone should have told her that using ALL CAPS IS YELLING. But to be fire for it is a bit much.
  • Justin
    I think it is ridiculous that some people are "offended" by all caps. You mean you would be less offended if I write "STFU" as "stfu". Theses people that respond with "quit yelling!" comments are idiots as well. It's type people! And technically, it's not yelling unless you put an exclamation after it. Some people are just idiots though. That being said, she's an accountant. She should know how to tyoe correctly.
  • The above comment is pure gold .. typo in the word type.
  • Paul
    typo in type, should type typo instead :)
  • Vuko
    She should be killed, not fired!
  • Erick
    I often get emails from accountants in all caps. A lot of the accounting software that people use require them to type in CAPS all day so it is reasonable that you wouldn't bother changing it to send an email.
  • Over the years I have, as have all men, been yelled at in a variety of ways by the women in my life. It used to be I had to wait until I actually communicated in person or on the phone, but now I can be as effectively email-screamed at, too. Does any man out there really get the woman in their life? I doubt it, that's why I wrote The Grease Monkey Gourmet; to help us understand!
  • David
    Any loser who thinks caps have anything to do with "yelling", should get a real life and not spend so much time on their computer. LETTERS ARE LETTERS.
  • Chip
    I work in IT and see people type up stupid emails like this all day long. What is worse than sending an email in all caps?? Sending an email in all caps, colors and put the message in the subject line while you are at it! We are in 2009 I think anyone working in a business setting should know the standards of typing.... Oh I know another sales person that is a woman with hot pink font ohhh I love that one as well along with the neon green stationary so that you can't see what they are typing, that is very professional. I bet she is the same person that calls IT for help and then answers another call while already on the phone. Rude. In my opinion A.) someone should have hinted at her at how just down right annoying she was being B.) Someone should have sent a email back to her in the same format and see how she reacted to it. She should have been fired for lake of common sense which she apparently has none of. However, I bet that will be the last time she will make the error of sending an email in all caps and highlighted! I mean after all $17,000 how long will that last in todays economy?
  • Carolyn Sorrell
    I think she was probably a very annoying person that got on people's nerves but her employer might have offered her classes to deal with her angry, harsh attitude. Maybe with counseling she could be a nicer person. She obviously has other "issues".
  • Aqui no Brasil, muitas pessoas não sabem que escrever em maiúsculas significa gritar, desarmoniar. Agora se na Oceania é considerado ofensa grave, e a funcionária assim o fez, acredito ter sido injusta a pena de indezinação.
  • Trina
    I THINK THAT WAS JUST STUPID MAYBE THE WORKERS JUST WASN'T GETTING IT. SO INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM LOOK DUMB SHE PUT IT TO THEM IN BOLD RED LETTERS. I SEE THAT GOT THEIR ATTENTION SO MUCH UNTIL THEY WERE OFFENED,BUT HAHAHAHAH TO THE COMPANY FOR BEING STUPID IT COST YOU 17,000 DOLLARS AND SOME FOR BEING STUPID THINK NEXT TIME. AND YOU GO VICKI WALKER 2 THUMBS UP TO YOU BABY GIRL.....
  • Symon Addington
    Or maybe it was worth it to the commpany to exit this person no matter what to get rid of a bully and restore peace in the organisation? I understand the Tribunal awarded her less than what the Company offered her to go...so who won there?
  • Grim
    GUESS WHAT? I'M USING ALL CAPS RIGHT NOW...SUE ME.
  • MEL
    Okay... It is VERY SAD to see people get soo offended over the most little and insignificant things. Why, by highlighting or using caps is to just emphasize the need for attention, not to tell the reader "HEY I'M YELLING AT YOU, EVEN THOUGH TYPED WORDS CAN'T MAKE SOUNDS".

    People get the wrong idea about Capatlized text that 99 times out of 100 is not being used to yell at someone, but just emphasize important instructions and etc. If you take that as yelling, then what is the point of having CAPS as an option on your keyboard, have people become that "stuck up" to think that CAPTIAL means to take offense?? Seriously, what have we come to? To take such little ridiculous things and make them more than what they really are. It is just letters and words, it is not a video of someone screaming in your face and it is not meant to be as that, even all you weird people think it is. Get over yourselves and get back to reality, that typing is not yelling.
  • DAVE
    SO... WHAT IS SO WRONG IN USING CAPITAL LETTERS. I USE IT ALL THE TIME. I AM SIGHT IMPAIRED AND USING CAPITALS AND A LARGER FONT MAKES IT EASIER TO READ . LIKE IT OR LUMP IT !!!.
  • x1134x
    I DON'T SEE A REASON FOR SMALL LETTERS AT ALL WHATSOEVER. THEY ARE REDUNDANT. WHY DO YOU NEED 2 DIFFERENT WAYS TO WRITE EACH LETTER? I AS A 30 YEAR OLD BUSINESS OWNER WRITE IN ALL CAPS (MANUSCRIPT) WHEN WRITING, AND PEOPLE SAY MY HANDWRITING LOOKS "VERY PROFESSIONAL" CURSIVE AND SMALL LETTERS ARE WASTES OF TIME LEARNING, BRAIN SPACE, AND TIME. IN NO WAY DOES CAPITALS SOMEHOW MEAN YELLING, IF YOU THINK SO, YOU HAVE MENTAL PROBLEMS.
  • bbaker2580
    all-caps users are nose pickers
  • This is a very interesting story.
    How can they fire a person because of using caps. It's against human rights.
  • Cheryl Wood
    Wow, such a raging debate!! there must be some "ultimate power" that we can consult that will give us the "right" answer. TO ALL CAPS OR NOT, THAT IS THE QUESTION? OK GOD, WHAD'YA SAY? "Which way shall be right and which way shall be wrong and what is the penalty, should we break the socially agreed upon rule?"
  • Anonymous
    I had a woman reply to me in ALL CAPS, and I reported her rudeness. They didn't fire her, but she wasn't very nice when she did the job she had to do. They should have switched the woman, so she wouldn't have channeled her anger onto her work.
  • GARRY OLIVER
    FOR ME IT ALL STARTED OUT BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE THE LETTERS ON THE COMPUTER BEFORE I HAD SOME EYE SURGERY. THEN, I THOUGHT IT WAS A WAY TO SEPARATE WHAT I WROTE FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S RESPONSES, ETC.
  • The Angel of the American Cons
    hello, if this had happened in America, the woman would be a major stockholder in that company, with the aid of a great Counsilor ( Lawyer).

    This is an impingmement on the American Constitution's First Ammendment ( Freedom of Speach), but the Constitution in New Zealond in different. She ws lucky, but she will get more in punitive damages under New Zealand Law.
  • Cynthia Hammock
    I believe the lady was trying to GETA POINT ACROSS! If her co-workers had been submitting their claims properly, she would not have had to send the e-mail in the first place.
  • Cynthia Hammock
    I believe the lady was trying to GET A POINT ACROSS! If her co-workers had been submitting their claims properly, she would not have had to send the e-mail in the first place.
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