Time Warner Cable Hit With $2M 'Porn' Lawsuit

[HardOCP News]

If I got this kind of money every time a co-worker was watching porn on company time, I'd have to renounce my citizenship and move to Singapore with my $5B. Sheesh!

Time Warner Cable has gotten socked with a $2 million lawsuit by a former employee who says they ignored his religious complaints about his colleagues watching porn on company time. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Keith Reid said he walked in on a construction supervisor at their Park Slope office watching pornography in February of last year.

 

[lilbabycat]

He should have knocked first. A religious man of all people should know some manners.

 

[featsdontfailme]

Hmmmmmm......

the short article makes it sound like the guy complained a number of times about people watching porn, because it upset him.....

Then he got fired.

Sounds like he was watching the watchers instead of doing his job and got canned, now it's the prOn that made him do it......

 

[JoeUser]

This is ridiculous.

 

[ShamisOMally]

"They ignored his religious complaints...."

I'd fucking ignore you too. Not that this excuses people from watching porn at work, but if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

Have a moral objection to porn, fine. Have a religious objection to porn, and make it known you are religious about it, again, take a long walk off the roof of a tall building.

 

[Eisenblut]

"They ignored his religious complaints...."

I'd fucking ignore you too. Not that this excuses people from watching porn at work, but if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

Have a moral objection to porn, fine. Have a religious objection to porn, and make it known you are religious about it, again, take a long walk off the roof of a tall building.

The company policy regarding it would have come first in line. Every company that I have worked for, you would be packing your box up by that afternoon if this same thing happened there.

Some people are actually happy with their sex life and don't need to watch porn for fulfillment.

 

[Phoenix333]

if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

So should I tell you to jump off a building for spouting anti-religious stuff? Respect is a two-way street you know. If you want some, give some.

 

[stealthy123]

The company policy regarding it would have come first in line. Every company that I have worked for, you would be packing your box up by that afternoon if this same thing happened there.

Some people are actually happy with their sex life and don't need to watch porn for fulfillment.

lawl, I am happy with my sex life, porn makes it better.

this holier than thou attitude about not needed porn because your life if so much more rewarding than other peoples, ya, that tends to rub people the wrong way.

 

[dandirk]

Obviously watching p0rn at work is not professional or proper behavior, but imho it isn't religious discrimination against co-workers either.

What if my religion requires me to watch p0rn at work? Who's religion wins? My god (or my freedom) can beat up your god (your freedom)... Is that what a free country has come to?

Are they having mandatory meetings in which p0rn must be watched by all staff and then after they all punch jesus in the nuts?

Are they denying him promotions because he won't happily watch p0rn and punch jesus in the nuts???

Again it's wrong that a company would not deal with porn watching at work, I think it is a decency thing and not a religious thing. But at the same time, it's wrong to try and inject your religion into every personal issue you have. The United States is supposed to be a free country that allows ALL religions to be openly practiced without fear of prosecution. This does not mean that everyone else has to follow your religious beliefs at all times.

 

[necrosis]

"They ignored his religious complaints...."

I'd fucking ignore you too. Not that this excuses people from watching porn at work, but if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

Have a moral objection to porn, fine. Have a religious objection to porn, and make it known you are religious about it, again, take a long walk off the roof of a tall building.

Thank you for typing that for me. I feel the same way.

 

[ShamisOMally]

So should I tell you to jump off a building for spouting anti-religious stuff? Respect is a two-way street you know. If you want some, give some.

I'm very religious, however, I don't appreciate people quoting religious stuff at me, even if they are the same religion as me.

Religion is supposed to be a personal thing, not something you push and dominate other people around you into behaving differently just because of how -YOU- are worshiping your religion, you start quoting religious crap at me, I'll tell you where to jump off.

Religion is between you and whatever you worship, you start telling me I'll "GOTO HELL!" or other such nonsense because you dislike something, like I said, I'll tell you right where to jump off.

 

[Ruoh]

I guess he was more used to seeing religion shoved down someones throat, instead of... other things.

 

[Cyraxx]

"They ignored his religious complaints...."

I'd fucking ignore you too. Not that this excuses people from watching porn at work, but if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

Have a moral objection to porn, fine. Have a religious objection to porn, and make it known you are religious about it, again, take a long walk off the roof of a tall building.

By the fact that they are mentioning religion alone this should be thrown out of court. No one needs to adapt to your religious beliefs, hence first amendment

 

[Cyraxx]

I guess he was more used to seeing religion shoved down someones throat, instead of... other things.

I <3 you.

 

[Phoenix333]

Religion is between you and whatever you worship, you start telling me I'll "GOTO HELL!" or other such nonsense because you dislike something, like I said, I'll tell you right where to jump off.

I see, you're talking about proselytizing. In that I do agree. There's a time and place for that sort of thing, just like there's a time and place for more private matters. The workplace is neither in my mind. Your initial post was similar to a lot of religion-bashing that goes on pretty much everywhere on the internet, which I consider to be the atheist version of proselytizing, so I misunderstood the intent of your post. My apologies.

 

[Eisenblut]

lawl, I am happy with my sex life, porn makes it better.

this holier than thou attitude about not needed porn because your life if so much more rewarding than other peoples, ya, that tends to rub people the wrong way.

Saying that B makes A better means that A is not enough and is not what you want it to be, otherwise you would not be looking for B to improve it.

As for the holier than thou attitude, the attitude around here seems to be that if you DON'T watch it then something is wrong with you. So that same attitude is present with you, just inverted.

Regardless, it IS religious discrimination in his firing for reporting the watching of porn on company computers, not in other people watching porn in and of itself, if they took offense to the reporting of it and did not like his beliefs.

 

[Max Mike]

Watching porn is the workplace (unless you are producing porn) is never acceptable... period.

If this guy were a woman this would be a automatic sexual harassment lost suit.

Firing the guy because he complained is wrong... period.

Just because a pack of anti religion bigots think it is OK don't make it OK.

 

[Spire3660]

Watching porn is the workplace (unless you are producing porn) is never acceptable... period.

If this guy were a woman this would be a automatic sexual harassment lost suit.

Firing the guy because he complained is wrong... period.

Just because a pack of anti religion bigots think it is OK don't make it OK.

YOu have no idea what is and isnt acceptable around the world at work. Ive worked at tattoo parlors that watch porn all day long. Be careful how you use absolutes.

 

[Maplehamwich]

He should have knocked first. A religious man of all people should know some manners.

I lol'd. I hope this get's thrown out of court. What if porn is the other man's religion? Religious complaints should not hold any sway in court. They're only as valid as personal opinions.

 

[Maplehamwich]

I guess he was more used to seeing religion shoved down someones throat, instead of... other things.

Hahaha, awesome.

 

[shifty68]

I dont think the guy should have been fired, but im guessing he went around complaining the wrong way. If you want to rat some one out at work, you dont go about by throwing bibles at them.

 

[Ur_Mom]

Sure, you shouldn't watch porn on company time, but that's not what this is about.

It's about some guy that kept telling them what to do, not doing his job. Using the religion card isn't going to help, as you shouldn't be pushing your religion at work just as much as you shouldn't be watching porn. Two wrongs don't make a right. I'd counter sue for making it such a hostile working place that he was trying to force his commandments on the other employees making it difficult to work.

BTW: I'm not anti-religion. I'm a Christian, and although I don't agree with everything done, I'm not going to bitch at someone because they do something that doesn't go with my religious beliefs. THAT'S never acceptable at work, unless you work at a church. It's good to be religious, just don't bring it to work and start preaching - you'll piss people off.

You know what's really messed up. Time Warner Cable employees pirated the pornography. They broke through their own caps in a 8 hour span.

Of course, I just thought of something. If it was against his religion, it must have been some really bad pork sex with lots of alcoholic beverages and the guys were gang banging without condoms while listening to that death metal while masturbating leaving their seed on the ground. Oh, and some gay sex in there to make it really bad. Heathens.

 

[Ur_Mom]

I lol'd. I hope this get's thrown out of court. What if porn is the other man's religion? Religious complaints should not hold any sway in court. They're only as valid as personal opinions.

They still do. Gay marriage is still deemed illegal in many places because of the religion and the bible says so (I couldn't find that passage, though). Religious complaints are irrelevant, though, when you think of the facts (which is what the justice system is supposed to be concerned about). You cannot PROVE that those are the words of God. You can't PROVE that God even exists. It's a faith based thing. You can't prove anything - but you still believe. It works for some people, other people need that faith to go on with their lives, some people can't believe in something they can't see or touch. Complaints based on a religion should only be considered without the religion being the issue. It should have to be a personal attack. We as a society should give some freedoms when it comes to religion and their practices, but it shouldn't be used to stop every other freedom because of it. The way that goes, you wouldn't be allowed to be an atheist, because you'd be upsetting Ezekiel over in HR.

 

[ItsVictorB]

Not surprised it happened. Reminds me a story I read a while back about how a woman was pissed off at her husband for watching porn at work. Turn out he worked in construction and all the workers would gather around a tv at lunch and watch porn. WTF?

 

[Maplehamwich]

We as a society should give some freedoms when it comes to religion and their practices, but it shouldn't be used to stop every other freedom because of it. The way that goes, you wouldn't be allowed to be an atheist, because you'd be upsetting Ezekiel over in HR.

Excellent. : )

 

[Max Mike]

They still do. Gay marriage is still deemed illegal in many places because of the religion and the bible says so (I couldn't find that passage, though). Religious complaints are irrelevant, though, when you think of the facts (which is what the justice system is supposed to be concerned about). You cannot PROVE that those are the words of God. You can't PROVE that God even exists. It's a faith based thing. You can't prove anything - but you still believe. It works for some people, other people need that faith to go on with their lives, some people can't believe in something they can't see or touch. Complaints based on a religion should only be considered without the religion being the issue. It should have to be a personal attack. We as a society should give some freedoms when it comes to religion and their practices, but it shouldn't be used to stop every other freedom because of it. The way that goes, you wouldn't be allowed to be an atheist, because you'd be upsetting Ezekiel over in HR.

I cry for our future if this kind of barely coherent ignorance drivel passes for logical though.

In the US this complaint would be backed by the well established legal principle of creating a "hostile workplace environment"... not really a just religious issue. There is no right to watch porn (or proselytize religion, anti religion, politics, selling Amway, and a host of other things) in the workplace, refer to again to "hostile workplace environment". You cannot do as you please in a mixed workplace no matter company policy.

We as a society do not grant religious freedoms... "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof".
Nobody needs your permission.

The fact you can distill this in to something as the illogical and irrelevant as "you wouldn't be allowed to be an atheist, because you'd be upsetting Ezekiel over in HR" is astounding in its scope of lack of understanding of law.

 

[Aluisious]

LOL, 200k for every instance his innocent little eyes fell upon the horrors of naked people doing it.

While I'm surprised that managed to go on without the employees watching getting fired, that guy has unlimited rights to f--- off. You do not get a payday because your pathetically delicate sensibilities have been impinged on.

 

[Neocorteqz]

lawl, I am happy with my sex life, porn makes it better.

this holier than thou attitude about not needed porn because your life if so much more rewarding than other peoples, ya, that tends to rub people the wrong way.

I thought porn was supposed to make you rub it the right way?


So I'm guessing If i work for TW, i can watch porn and get away with it? And get paid to do it to boot.

 

[Lith1um]

I guess he was more used to seeing religion shoved down someones throat, instead of... other things.

Post of the day!

 

[Ur_Mom]

I cry for our future if this kind of barely coherent ignorance drivel passes for logical though.

Sorry if I don't share your opinion. Doesn't make it ignorance or incorrect.

In the US this complaint would be backed by the well established legal principle of creating a "hostile workplace environment"... not really a just religious issue. There is no right to watch porn (or proselytize religion, anti religion, politics, selling Amway, and a host of other things) in the workplace, refer to again to "hostile workplace environment". You cannot do as you please in a mixed workplace no matter company policy.

Obviously, there is no right to watch porn. But, he used his religion as a basis to complain, not just a general bad practice. There are a lot of places where you can do a lot that isn't illegal, but wouldn't have a place in corporate workplaces. Look at mechanics garages, tattoo shops, adult shops... You can do a lot of what you please in there. I never said it was right, I just don't think he should have his whole thing religion based. It has nothing to do with religion. It's the porn that was the problem, he didn't like it, he should have complained about it in general, as it shouldn't be allowed in THAT environment (there are places where it is allowed, though. Even with your quirky rights in the workplace). Yes, it can be considered a hostile workplace environment for him. Just as someone coming in and preaching to me that my clothes are from Satan's closet.

We as a society do not grant religious freedoms... "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof".
Nobody needs your permission.

The fact you can distill this in to something as the illogical and irrelevant as "you wouldn't be allowed to be an atheist, because you'd be upsetting Ezekiel over in HR" is astounding in its scope of lack of understanding of law.

Really? Freedom of religion is part of what this country was built on. You have the right to your own religion. We aren't going to force ours on you. Of course no one needs permission. That's dumb as hell to assume I meant anything like that. That's why we have the Jedi Religion, which is based on a movie, and it's allowed and accepted.

My point with the other part was that if he were to win based on that it was against his religion and not in just a general workplace fuckup, then it would be a religious debate in courts allowing for others to sue based on religion. Not going to happen, of course. Lawyers are too smart for that. If people could sue their co-workers because they are Islamic and someone brings in a BLT to work for lunch, then that would suck. But, watching porn isn't allowed, and can be offensive to some (regardless of religion). But, you have to go for the non-religion based laws.

Sorry if my fictional little over exaggeration got your panties in a bunch. Didn't mean to come off as so literal in my writing. Lighten up a bit.

 

[termite]

Given that Time Warner (along with Comcast et al) offer porn via pay per view the employees very well could have been working. Someone has to check the stream quality.

 

[Riftsaw]

The story is kind of anemic.

He says he was fired for reporting guys watching porn but it's in quotes for a reason. I'd like to see the official line they used in terminating him. Other than that, what was this guy's position?

How was he able to sneak up on all these guys watching porn? Did they just really suck at being secretive or did they just not care about anyone seeing?

 

[nutzo]

Given that Time Warner (along with Comcast et al) offer porn via pay per view the employees very well could have been working. Someone has to check the stream quality.

If that is what they where doing, then the guy should have been fired for continuously complaining.

However, I very much doubt that is what was going on.

Unless it was their job to be monitoring these specific video streams, then where likely in violation of multiple company policies. Even watching sports or a movie on company time is usually a vilolation of company policy and can get you fired.

 

[Ur_Mom]

How was he able to sneak up on all these guys watching porn? Did they just really suck at being secretive or did they just not care about anyone seeing?

Walked in on one guy. Not sure if he barged in without knocking or what.

But, what kind of IT department doesn't block porn sites? And he saw it multiple times.

This is the part that I disagree with: "Those employees apparently weren't disciplined, but Reid was, the suit says. He was suspended and then fired "in retaliation [for] the multiple complaints of religious discrimination and harassment," it says"

Get rid of religious discrimination. It has nothing to do with that. Watching porn itself is considered the harassment, if it bugged him. Those things, you need to be very careful with. If you have a group of 5 guys and they all agree, fine. But, if you get the one guy that doesn't, you can't watch it. It creates a bad work space and is illegal. I don't see how they discriminated against him due to religion. I don't think they said "Oh he's Christian, let's fuck with him.". Nope, same would have happened if he was atheist.

They are pulling the religion card like people pull the race card. Would the situation be the same if he wasn't a Christian? Probably. They just wouldn't pull that card.

 

[Riftsaw]

"In total, throughout his employment," Reid caught co-workers "watching pornography on approximately ten different occasions," the suit says.

Is that guy a ninja or did his co-workers just not give a fuck?

 

[harbingerofdoom]

"They ignored his religious complaints...."

I'd fucking ignore you too. Not that this excuses people from watching porn at work, but if you start quoting religious bullshit at me, I'll tell you to jump off a building too.

Have a moral objection to porn, fine. Have a religious objection to porn, and make it known you are religious about it, again, take a long walk off the roof of a tall building.

that is the dumbest thing i have heard in a long time... and i talk to end users on a daily basis.

whats the difference between a moral objection and a religious objection in this situation? an objection is an objection. how YOU view it doesnt matter.

 

[Max Mike]

Sorry if I don't share your opinion. Doesn't make it ignorance or incorrect.



Obviously, there is no right to watch porn. But, he used his religion as a basis to complain, not just a general bad practice. There are a lot of places where you can do a lot that isn't illegal, but wouldn't have a place in corporate workplaces. Look at mechanics garages, tattoo shops, adult shops... You can do a lot of what you please in there. I never said it was right, I just don't think he should have his whole thing religion based. It has nothing to do with religion. It's the porn that was the problem, he didn't like it, he should have complained about it in general, as it shouldn't be allowed in THAT environment (there are places where it is allowed, though. Even with your quirky rights in the workplace). Yes, it can be considered a hostile workplace environment for him. Just as someone coming in and preaching to me that my clothes are from Satan's closet.




Really? Freedom of religion is part of what this country was built on. You have the right to your own religion. We aren't going to force ours on you. Of course no one needs permission. That's dumb as hell to assume I meant anything like that. That's why we have the Jedi Religion, which is based on a movie, and it's allowed and accepted.

My point with the other part was that if he were to win based on that it was against his religion and not in just a general workplace fuckup, then it would be a religious debate in courts allowing for others to sue based on religion. Not going to happen, of course. Lawyers are too smart for that. If people could sue their co-workers because they are Islamic and someone brings in a BLT to work for lunch, then that would suck. But, watching porn isn't allowed, and can be offensive to some (regardless of religion). But, you have to go for the non-religion based laws.

Sorry if my fictional little over exaggeration got your panties in a bunch. Didn't mean to come off as so literal in my writing. Lighten up a bit.

Your ignorance is not about opinion it is about the current law of which you are cleanly and completely ignorant. You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about... none.

You can in fact bring legal action based on your religion beliefs if someone in the workplaces conduct is offensive or abusive to your religious beliefs, if the company does not put a stop to it you would in fact have grounds for a legal action.... it has been done successfully.

If someone is preaching to you at work and you tell them to stop , if the company does not put a stop to it you would in fact have grounds for a legal action.... it has been done successfully.

If someone was bringing a BLT to work and is placing it around a Muslim as a act of disrespect or intimidation and the company did not put a stop to it that Muslim would in fact have grounds for a legal action... similar cases have already occurred.

A company allowing porn in the workplace if it offends someone on religious, feminist, or a host of any other grounds is flat out asking to get sued and lose big.

A company CANNOT allow a workplace environment to exist that is hostile to a worker religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs, and a host of other reasons... if they do they can be sued successfully and the EEOC will come down on them like a ton of bricks.

Current law absolutely allows for successful workplace complaint on religious grounds.

 

[Tudz]

Get rid of religious discrimination. It has nothing to do with that. Watching porn itself is considered the harassment, if it bugged him. Those things, you need to be very careful with. If you have a group of 5 guys and they all agree, fine. But, if you get the one guy that doesn't, you can't watch it. It creates a bad work space and is illegal. I don't see how they discriminated against him due to religion. I don't think they said "Oh he's Christian, let's fuck with him.". Nope, same would have happened if he was atheist.

Yeah that's basically my thought. The whole religious thing is a tangent. Whatever the reason, the guy felt harassed by being exposed to porn at work and instead of dealing with the problem they fired him for complaining about it. If it were a chick instead of a guy it would have been sexual harassment no doubt, but just because it's a guy you can't ignore him if he feels it is inappropriate behaviour, deal with it or pay the consequences, firing the guy was a retarded move.

 

[tesfaye]

Of course, I just thought of something. If it was against his religion, it must have been some really bad pork sex with lots of alcoholic beverages and the guys were gang banging without condoms while listening to that death metal while masturbating leaving their seed on the ground. Oh, and some gay sex in there to make it really bad. Heathens.

You forgot to sprinkle a little Bukakke in there for good measure.

 

[wabbitseason]

What a moron. Though his nonsensical "religious objections" gave him away a long time ago.