When is a book not a book?

A Public Relations disaster was started for SkyCity Casino when a manager spotted an employee with a small Bible in a toilet area. The fact that she was not even on the gambling floor was not taken into account by the SkyCity management, who chose to react by following their standard procedure.

The employee was advised in writing that she was deemed to be in breach of the company's uniform code, which bars the carrying of items such as cellphones and books that might interfere with a staff members' "full engagement" with customers.

In a letter from the Sky Tower operations manager to the employee, it stated that the company understood that she drew inspiration from her Bible but said they expected staff to be completely focussed on their duties. It was also explained that other staff members could argue they gain inspiration in other ways such as from iPods or smoking and so they had to "draw a line somewhere".

Previous letters from the casino to the employee indicate she had been warned several times about carrying non-work items into the "front of house" area. SkyCity also reminded her that she could have requested an exemption to the policy but had not done so.

Before the meeting was scheduled to take place, intense scrutiny was put onto the company by the media who had been alerted by the employee’s Union.

When a meeting was finally held with the employee and her Union, the SkyCity executives decided an exception would be made to the company's uniform policy to allow her to carry a Bible with her as she worked.

The employee, who had worked for SkyCity Casino for 16 years, was finally told she could keep the book in her pocket and would not face disciplinary action.

The mere juxtaposition in these circumstances of a Bible in a gambling facility was always going to create attention that was not anticipated by the employer.

The fact it was a Bible appears to have made this case more significant than it actually was as it was irrelevant what the book was.

Do you think that the title of the book was relevant or irrelevant? Would you have done anything differently?

There will be discussion around this article at our next Free Seminar on Tuesday 24^th July