Managers in your company may have had problems with employees focused on fantasy football leagues during time they should’ve spent working. But have any been fired just for belonging to a fantasy league?
That’s what happened to four Fidelity Investments employees recently. Management intercepted an e-mail discussing the activity, investigated and fired employees who had organized the pools.
You see, competing in a fantasy football league for money ($20, in this case) is technically gambling, which is illegal in most states (but rarely enforced).
Fidelity also has its own policy against gambling in the workplace. Cameron Pettigrew, one of the fired employees, was aware of the policy, but claimed it was never strictly enforced, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. He said he knew of several managers and execs who also played fantasy football.
In addition to the legality, the company said it also prohibits fantasy football because it’s a distraction. One recent study estimates a nationwide productivity loss of $275 to $435 million for each week of the football season.
But, many claim, it’s just one of many distractions — a list that includes social networking and holiday shopping. And we’d bet not many employees have been fired just for having a Facebook account.
Whatever your company’s policy, one thing’s clear: It needs to be enforced consistently. Letting execs do something that rank-and-file can’t sends the wrong message to employees (and, with a company of Fidelity’s stature, could send that message to the rest of the world, too).
What’s your opinion? Should Fidelity have fired the fantasy footballers? Let us know in the comments section below.
