Writing in all caps is one of the most annoying e-mail etiquette breaches. But would one of your managers fire someone for it?
That’s exactly what happened to one woman in New Zealand. Vicki Walker, former controller for a health care company, was fired for sending what her boss called “confrontational” e-mails.
For example: One message advising her staff on how to fill out claim forms contained text in all capitals, as well as some statements in bold and red fonts.
Walker took the company to court for wrongful termination (New Zealand employees can only be fired for cause). The company defended its action by arguing that she caused “disharmony in the workplace.”
But the court didn’t buy it and awarded Walker $17,000. Annoying, yes, but misusing the caps lock key wasn’t a serious enough offense for termination.
