Woman fired for using capital letter

WOULD YOU GET ANGRY IF YOU GOT E-MAILS WITH LOTS OF CAPITAL LETTERS? A New Zealand _____ saw red after one of his employees used block capitals in e-mails to _____. Vicki Walker, an accountant in Auckland, was _____ after her co-workers complained about her _____ of caps. Members of staff at ProCare Health were angry with Ms. Walker for constantly filling her mails with sentences in capital letters, _____ and red text. They said they found the e-mails “confrontational”. Bosses at ProCare dismissed Ms Walker for _____ “disharmony” in the workplace. Walker took the company to court and _____ for unfair dismissal. She won the case and ProCare had to pay her US$11,500 in _____ and lost pay. According to the New Zealand Herald newspaper, Ms Walker is _____ not happy. She plans to _____ for further compensation. She also wants to speak out for greater protection for office workers when they are in _____ with big companies. Walker said too many white-collar workers feel _____ when large employers fire them. She says many people are not prepared to fight their bosses because of the financial and mental _____ involved. She used her own _____ as an example, saying: "I am a single woman with a mortgage, and I had to re-mortgage my home and _____ money to make it through. They nearly ruined my life." Walker’s case _____ a widespread uncertainty regarding “netiquette” and e-mails.

 

C. AFTER LISTENING

Answer the following questions.

1) What did you think when you read the headline?

2) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘e-mail’?

3) What are your e-mail writing habits?

4) Which are better, e-mails or real letters?

5) What do you think of text with lots of capital letters?

6) What kinds of mails make you angry?

7) Have you ever sent an e-mail you regretted?

8) Do you understand why ProCare bosses fired Vicki Walker?

9) How could ProCare bosses have resolved this situation in a better way?

10) Do you think Ms Walker got the right amount of damages?

11) If you were Ms Walker, would you continue to fight in the courts?

12) Do you think workers are helpless against big companies?

13) What do you think of e-mails full of shortened English?

14) Are e-mails written in your language different from those written in English?

15) Do you know any “rules” when writing e-mails?

16) What questions would you like to ask Vicki Walker?

 

Match the following synonyms from the text.

1) to see red 2) to fire 3) constantly 4) to complain 5) pay 6) to appeal 7) further 8) disputes 9) mortgage 10) to ruin

a) to protest b) to destroy c) salary d) arguments e) to get angry f) to dismiss g) housing loan h) to call i) always j) more

Match the following phrases from the text (sometimes more than one combination is possible).

1) A New Zealand boss saw 2) her co-workers complained about 3) filling her mails with sentences 4) took the company to court and sued 5) pay her US$11,500 in damages 6) She plans to appeal for 7) too many white-collar 8) financial and mental 9) They nearly ruined 10) widespread uncertainty regarding “netiquette”

a) for unfair dismissal b) my life c) further compensation d) and e-mails e) red f) her use of caps g) stresses h) and lost pay i) workers feel helpless j) in capital letters

9. Write down different words you associate with the term ‘case’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

10. Roleplay the dialogue between:

a) Vicki Walker and her boss at the moment of firin;

b) Vicki Walker’s boss and a journalist;

c) Vicki Walker, unhappy fired employee and a journalist.

 

Search the Internet and find more information about unfair dismissal in Russia and abroad. Talk about what you discover with your groupmates. If possible, try to make a presentation, because it will help you to present information in a way which contributes to better understanding and figures or different graphics which help to understand your report better. After presentations choose the best report.

12. Make a poster about how to write good e-mails. Include the do’s and don’ts of e-mail writing. Show your work to your groupmates. Did you all have similar things?

Write a magazine article about the unfair dismissal of Vicki Walker. Include imaginary interviews with Vicki, her boss and an unhappy colleague. Read what you wrote to your groupmates. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

Write a letter to Vicki Walker. Ask her three questions about her experience. Give her three suggestions about how white-collar workers can stand up against big employers. Read your letter to your groupmates. Your groupmates will answer your questions.