moonbadger's post about not noticing colour reminded me of this...
Not really on topic, but semi-related. Some of you might remember that once upon a time the lovely Jessie was suspended from her job after being accused of "racist conduct", which came about when at a work do, her manager gave her some money and told her to get a round in. She then forgot one member of staff, Charity, who had gone to sit round the corner. A while later Charity complained that Jess had deliberately omitted her from the round because she was black.

At all the meetings, Jess noted how Charity could instantly tell you how many black/white/Asian/whatever members of staff were present at any one time, whereas Jess had to sit and think about who had been there.

I told her before the very first meeting, when the managers put it to her that she hadn't included Charity in the round because of her blackness, Jess should have said "Black? Charity? Is she?! I've never even noticed...", and seen how far she could have run with that line of defence.

(for those who are interested, after six weeks of suspension, during which time Jess was simultaneously:

-relieved to be away from work
-chuffed at getting Christmas off
-disgusted at the ridiculous allegation
-annoyed that she wasn't allowed to talk to her friends at work
-dismayed at how little management seemed to bother keeping her up to date with what was going on
-laughing at the incredulous response of the union rep when she explained why she was suspended
-and of course shitting herself at the thought of how fucked her career would be should she get sacked for racist conduct

...she was finally told that the matter was resolved in her favour and she could come back to work)
(Professor Kenny Martin Hmm? What?, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 14:43, 8 replies)

Yup - Mrs V's mate had a similar situation.
My question was, if this happened in the pub, what in god's teeth does it have to do with work?

I see you've stipulated "works do" - if it's in public, it ain't work, is how I see it.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 14:49, closed)

Yeah, it was actually part of Jess' job, since as well as the staff there they also had the service users they cared for

(Professor Kenny Martin Hmm? What?, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 15:07, closed)

She had to service them?
That's going beyond the call of duty surely?
( Airman Gabber Living life like a 70's BBC presenter, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 15:56, closed)

When pettiness and nonchalance clash
the resulting hullabaloo is indirectly propotional to the original task.
(roysin, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 16:02, closed)

That's one of the finest things I've read today.

( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Mon 25 Feb 2013, 16:12, closed)

I have to ask?
And yes I do realise that the person involved is not here to answer.

How is someone not buying a round for someone who is not present when the call is made (unless they've already told someone else their order or they've hit the bog/phone - in which case guess or apologise later) considered racist?

EDIT: I've had friends and workmates who missed out on a shout because they were on the phone/dunny and they were of all color, shape and proclivity. From memory all of them took it on the chin & no one called foul.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Tue 26 Feb 2013, 9:51, closed)

An unfortunate mix of fear and paranoia
We are a remarkable species; our comfort zone of crude social niceties seems to be contained by something with all the security and permanence of the skin of a balloon.

Sometimes the sound of shop windows being smashed seems not so far away.
(roysin, Tue 26 Feb 2013, 13:28, closed)

I believe it's referred to as "playing the race card"
The same member of staff has also accused another colleague of refusing to take her to the shops (during a shift) in the work vehicle because she was black.
(Professor Kenny Martin Hmm? What?, Wed 27 Feb 2013, 9:34, closed)