[MI]
My friend (M,37) was recently terminated for allegedly saying a slur. A third party allegedly overheard the slur and contacted HR. He and the person he allegedly said it to were pulled into HR and questioned if they had either said or heard it being said. Neither remember the event and said just so.
HR dismissed them both and a week later my friend was called to HR who told him they elevated it to legal and terminated him for "saying the slur".
For background, my friend and his coworker who are friends outside the company too say the slur outside of work, but not at the work place. His coworker is gay, and uses the slur as a term of endearment and a way to take the slur back for the gay community. Even if my friend did say it his coworker wouldn't of cared. I know in company policies it doesn't matter, just thought to mention it.
My friend is wellknown for being disliked by HR. In one on ones with HR they have called him an asshole and made comments to other employees demeaning him and putting him down.
But in his department all the employees revere him and walked out the same day he was terminated in protest. They are extremely upset and refuse to talk to HR alone anymore in fear HR will retaliate against them.
My friends coworker involved in the alleged event met with the director of the plant and say the slur to them and asked what they were going to do about it. (not a smart move, I know) The director replied nothing and left it at that.
I don't think HR handled this with the severity that it deserved. It was hearsay at that point. Reportedly, my friend had shouted it across a loud room, yet no other employees were called for questioning besides my friend and his one coworker.
A separate event recently happened where a female supervisor said the slur to another employee. She did not get terminated and HR did not contact the reporting employee.
Was this taken too far? Did HR apply company policy equally?