Interns Get Fired En Masse After Protesting Dress Code at Work

So some college kids working as interns forgot or never knew the mentality of entitlement doesn't necessarily extend into the workplace and they tried to change the environment they were well aware of before they took their internships. This is called tough love and welcome to the real world your college didn't prepare you for. While it might stink for the kids right now, they probably learned more from this one occurrence about life than they did throughout their entire time in college.

 

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You know little or nothing as to what an internship entails.

 

So interns got together, wrote a proposal about changing the dress code and they were fired for that? Why?

 

Why were they fired?

Because they're replaceable. You should know kw your status in the company before (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)ing about it.

 

Student teachers are essentially interns, so I have an idea as to what it entails, and had I pulled a stunt like that to either my master teacher, university supervisor, or the supervising principal, I would have been dropped from the teaching program in a heartbeat. Heck, there were two people in my class that were indeed booted out for more or less the same level of offense.

 

Because you know so much about me and my life's experience.

 

Perhaps they should have focused more on learning the job instead of focusing on Snowflake 101.

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Apparently their management does.

 

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Because when one starts working somewhere, the focus should be on learning how you can contribute to the companies goals.

Instead, they were more worried about what kinds of shoes were being worn.

No one in the real world cares if you don't like the dress code, and people more worried about what shoes other employees are wearing are not doing their jobs.

I doubt this was the sum total of why they were fired, more than likely it was just the tip of the iceberg.

 

It shouldn't have to be explained, but since you asked:

Insubordination.

/good.

 

Because we discuss interns on this board daily, right? The companies I've worked with have sometimes used interns, and sometimes the manager who over saw them was strict, sometimes he wasn't. The one thing I've never seen is an intern come in and try to change company policies.

 

Pretty stupid reason to fire people, I wouldn't work for a company like that. When I go to work I'm going there to get things done, not dress in a certain fashion. Guy I work with wears bike spandex all the time. No one cares because he gets (*)(*)(*)(*) done.

 

Here's the main problem: These kids were focusing on one persons shoes instead of their own internships and the work involved. Their firing seems a bit extreme until you factor in this part:

I mean, look at what's happening here, as well as what's between the lines: These kids are going to the other interns and discussing perceived hypocrisy regarding - a shoe. You've got these trainees engaging in office gossip. You've got them rabble-rousing a petition. No way is this happening in a vacuum (at least in every other place I've worked at; the only thing that travels faster than the speed of light is workplace gossip!) and you've likely got morale being affected. You've got bosses who probably have better things to do with their time than deal with a clique of trainees who think they know better - and now here they are.

Now maybe they could have been let off with a stern warning and this used as a teachable moment, but I dunno - I'm also thinking there's a possibility we have another example of Special Snowflake Syndrome going on, and that possibly this might not have been an isolated instance. But I'm guessing on that part, whereas the above paragraph, yeah - they deserved to be fired. What they did was out of line.

 

Their termination was a violation of labor law because it was concerted activity (activities done by more then one person is considered concerted activity, and it was a petition signed by the group) and it is protected under the law. I hope they hire a good labor attorney and they get paid all back wages due them.

 

I'm sure there's more going on as well, but how is it justified? Like it or not, there are clear signs that the interns took an initiative. They organized and drafted a proposal. That's a clear sign of leadership potential and compromising skills. Also clearly the interns thought they were being professional. They collected signatures , not protest in the streets over this. These were good intentions.

Then they were fired over that? Where is the interns' intern security? If the purpose of an internship is to get an educational experience then shouldn't something like this be forgiven? To fire is excessive and callous to the long term goals of the company. Not mention how its basically the exact same argument that early industrialists used when they wanted to use child labor. There are actual abuses when it comes to internships and if this par for the course, then this is a blatant example of internship abuse and the culture that supports it.

 

Because a company wants interns looking to learn and work hard, not be little cry babies and start demanding crap right off the bat.

Welcome to the real world.

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Some companies have dress codes, if you don't like it then don't work there.

 

To the point where interns can be fired over petitioning about the dress code? That seems a bit excessive.

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Asking their bosses to do something is insubordination?

 

Well, something that was overlooked in the OP was:

So we have at least three of these interns questioning management regarding the dress code at this place. At this point management is already likely getting a bit annoyed at these twits, but they may have chalked it up to youthful enthusiasm and forgotten about it hoping they would have learned no means no. But then you have them continuing the great crusade despite having been told no several times before. And I can't help but feel that the final straw for management had to be that the focus of their angst was a veteran who had lost a leg, someone whose sacrifice was likely respected among management.

So at this point these kids have now graduated to insubordination. Heck, I would have fired them too, I would have been "Who needs this?" This wasn't a one-off but the straw that broke the camels back.

And come on, I can understand fighting for low pay or poor working conditions, you'd have a point were that the case; you'd be absolutely right. But what were they fighting for - a dress code? Something they had already been told was NOT going to change? This really is a bunch of special snowflakes who overestimated how patient management was going to be with them.

 

Its excessive when an intern, who has not even earned his or her stripes, comes into a job and expects someone to bow to their demands.

Again, they learned a great lesson about the real world.

 

I might be wrong, but I think your post only applies to groups trying to organize a union and not challenge company policy. Also, being that they were interns and not knowing what state they were in, the at-will laws may apply and we don't know if they had completed their probationary period yet, both imply they could have been let go at any time with or without a reason.

 

Would you treat a seasonal worker like this?

 

Because dealing with that type of mentality causes more stress on management. Plus it sends a message to future interns.

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Because dealing with that type of mentality causes more stress on management. Plus it sends a message to future interns.

 

I don't work for such companies, and it's their loss if they are willing to put clothing over talent. To me all that they proved is that they are unable to change with the times.

 

And all the interns did was prove they can't tolerate or do what it takes to be successful in the real world. They were interns, they weren't even employees yet and they've shown an inability to work within the job requirements. If the company gave in then what would they petition for next?