Who Is Wrong Here?

[Christine]

But I'm assuming it was someone "in power" at Mickey's who took the information from whoever put two and two together and decided to bring it up to the bank.

OP is upset because she might get in trouble for posting her beliefs (which she had the right to do).
But, Mickey's got "in trouble" (with the OP) for posting their beliefs.

IMO, if one is "right", they're both "right". If one is "wrong", then both are "wrong".

If the OP felt she didn't want her money going to Mickey's, no one can force her to do so. Where the issue came in was the fact that she posted about it.

Well, we're all kind of told to express our negative or positive feedback with merchants. People do it all the time. I don't think anyone should be reprimanded because they expressed disappointment in a merchant's non-compliance with health measures. Her comment was respectful and let's the merchant know that their practices may turn off customers. They can do with that what they will. Why the other person felt the need to go to her employer and complain about her is beyond me. It's not as if the OP was posting under the bank's Facebook account. Overall, I think the Mickey's complaining client was out of line, not the OP. Merchants put their Facebook and other social media up to reach customers and to get feedback.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’ve seen plenty of news stories of people being targeted by their jobs for things they say on social in their personal time. It’s the new thing. To get someone fired for not liking what they have to say or for them not agreeing with you.

Honestly I don’t see the point in getting into it with folks on my personal social media platforms. Or stating my opinion on controversial topics. I also don’t see the point in others tattling about it. I don’t think anyone’s right or wrong.

I hope you don’t get in trouble for this. I don’t think people should get in trouble for what they do on their personal time.

 

[mefordis]

You had every right to post what you did on Facebook.
The client had every right to complain about you.
Your employer has every right to fire you if they choose to do so.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't think you did anything "wrong," but this is not about right or wrong.

This is about whether your employer gets upset enough to take any action against you. And that may depend on how much trouble the client who complained wants to make, not on the degree of seriousness anyone attaches to your post.

You had every right to post your opinion on FB, but you are also responsible for what you post on FB or any other social media. And rightly or wrongly, your post caused some level of discomfort for your employer. Social media is a minefield for employees and prospective employees.

 

[cbg1027]

It’s going to bad optics if you’re critiquing a client of your employer regardless of if it’s “just your personal opinion”

When I made the comment, I did not know that Mickey's was a client of the bank until now.

Is there any way you can take the comment down? What did your boss say?

Yes I'm sure I can go delete my comment if I want. My boss just was giving me a heads up. She didn't tell me do anything one way or another. She just wanted to me to know in case it is brought to upper managements' attention.

Think twice about what you post to Facebook or anything online.
Right or wrong your comments can come back to haunt you.
It’s probably best to apologize and move on.
Anyways, I thought it sounded like a sincere apology from the store.

My social media postings are governed by "Would I be ok if my mom saw this?". This passed the mom test, so I posted it.

I don't think the the store apology was sincere at all. They kept using qualifiers that negated any actual apology. We may have made a mistake. It was evidently the wrong decision. The kicker though was that last sentence - We thought that given the free choice, people could make their own decisions. That sentence pretty much says "we wanted maskless Santa and think those who are pro-mask are crazy, but we're trying not to lose business in an already difficult economic time".
Had Mickey's issued a real apology, I don't think I would have said anything.

Their apology was not a real one. And the fact that they tracked down where you worked to file a complaint with your employer says everything about them.

Mickey's did not track me down. A client who is a mutual customer of my employer and Mickey's is the one who came to complain.

Did the Mickey's employee know you worked at the bank (I'm guessing)?

Personally, I think you and Mickey's did exactly the same thing. So you're either both "right" or both "wrong". You made the decision not to frequent Mickey's because of a decision they made public. They made a decision to complain to your business because of a decision you made public. What did you gain by posting? Couldn't you just not go there?

Sorry if I wasn't clear in explaining the situation. Mickey's did NOT say anything to my employer. The person who is complaining to my employer is a client of the bank, and they do contract work for Mickey's. The bank client who contracts with Mickey's knows I am an employee of the bank, and happened to see my post on Mickey's facebook.

What I hoped to gain by posting was to let Mickey's know they lost my business because I found their apology extremely insincere.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The person who complained really has too much time on their hands. They need to get over it.

 

[AustinTink]

I don’t think it was the Santa company that tracked her down but somebody who also uses the bank that works with the Santa company

Ohhhh, duh. I read that wrong.

 

[AustinTink]

Mickey's did not track me down. A client who is a mutual customer of my employer and Mickey's is the one who came to complain.

Oh, I read your op wrong. So, a third party took it upon themselves to complain to your employer? Wow. Not cool.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The person who complained really has too much time on their hands. They need to get over it.

And not to be a smart *** but I think a person who complains on a FB post saying they aren’t going to shop there anymore because they don’t like their apology had too much time on their hands. Everyone has too much time on their hands. Even me posting on the Dis about it. Lol

 

[disneychrista]

One thing I learned a long long time ago. Is that even off duty you are expected to represent your employer in a good light. While I do not think what you said was wrong, in any way, the fact that Mickey's is a customer of your bank means you should have kept your opinion to yourself.

 

[sam_gordon]

Sorry if I wasn't clear in explaining the situation. Mickey's did NOT say anything to my employer. The person who is complaining to my employer is a client of the bank, and they do contract work for Mickey's. The bank client who contracts with Mickey's knows I am an employee of the bank, and happened to see my post on Mickey's facebook.

OK, yea, I didn't read it that way. The complainer honestly shouldn't have said anything to your employer.

 

[SaintsManiac]

And not to be a smart *** but I think a person who complains on a FB post saying they aren’t going to shop there anymore because they don’t like their apology had too much time on their hands.

Maybe so, but it takes a lot of effort to do what was done by this complaining client.

 

[soccerdad72]

And not to be a smart *** but I think a person who complains on a FB post saying they aren’t going to shop there anymore because they don’t like their apology had too much time on their hands. Everyone has too much time on their hands. Even me posting on the Dis about it. Lol

ITA - it's not enough in this day and age to just stop frequenting a store, everyone has to let the Internet know they're doing it as well.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

ITA - it's not enough in this day and age to just stop frequenting a store, everyone has to let the Internet know they're doing it as well.

I am more of a speak less, do more type person. Everything doesn’t need to be announced. It’s a reason I left FB. Too many people announcing every little thing that comes to mind or every move they’re about to make.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

You can take your business elsewhere and post what you want on social media. A customer of your bank could see that and take their business elsewhere.

It does seem a bit odd that the person who complained seems to be threatening to tattle to Mickey's about the post? Seems like they're interjecting themselves in a situation that doesn't involve them (which is wrong IMO). Hopefully your manager told them to mind their own business.

You had every right to post what you did on Facebook.
The client had every right to complain about you.
Your employer has every right to fire you if they choose to do so.

This is true in Florida, but laws vary by state.

 

[Wendy1985]

Is your photo anywhere on social media I am guessing that is how they figured it out

 

[sk!mom]

My social media postings are governed by "Would I be ok if my mom saw this?". This passed the mom test, so I posted it.

As you now know, in 2020 a better standard might be, “would I be OK if my employer saw this?” Most of us are way past a time when mom can impose consequences but employers...

As to your situation, I wouldn’t have posted it. I have a couple of local businesses that I will never return to due to their practices during a pandemic but I vented about it anonymously here and not on their FB pages. I try to keep social media just that- social and light for the most part. I have no desire to argue or be negative on social media.

 

[JimMIA]

Yes I'm sure I can go delete my comment if I want. My boss just was giving me a heads up. She didn't tell me do anything one way or another. She just wanted to me to know in case it is brought to upper managements' attention.

I don't think you did anything wrong, but I would certainly do two things. 1) Take it down, and 2) tell your supervisor you took it down because you didn't want to create an issue for the bank.

I don't think the the store apology was sincere at all.

I agree with you, but that's completely irrelevant to your situation at work.

I would focus on what you did, and what you can do to keep it from hurting you at work.

 

[Befferk]

this is pretty much the long and short of it IMO. It doesn’t really matter if you are “right” or not. Posting anything about social media that gets back to your employer may have consequences.

It’s going to bad optics if you’re critiquing a client of your employer regardless of if it’s “just your personal opinion”

1000% this. I can't count the number of times I have to hold my tongue on social media because I don't want to damage my boss' business, or my own business. It's a difficult but important lesson to learn, but taking any side has the potential to damage your company. You have the right to say what you want, and your boss has the right to discipline you over it. If my employee (in the case of my own business) or coworker at my job did that, I could easily see them being fired. You're allowed to have your own opinion, but there are a lot of angry people out there that know they can "get back at you" by going through your employer. Sad but true. Doesn't matter if you think you're right or not.

 

[Disneylover99]

The kicker though was that last sentence - We thought that given the free choice, people could make their own decisions. That sentence pretty much says "we wanted maskless Santa and think those who are pro-mask are crazy, but we're trying not to lose business in an already difficult economic time".
Had Mickey's issued a real apology, I don't think I would have said anything.

Yes to the bolded is what I think. I’d cut them some slack. It sounds like they were trying to please both sides in an effort to hang on to business and it ended up backfiring.