Reply #156: Well I can tell you this ...

[RoyGBiv]

We had an employee who went off on a similar rant this past summer. He was in a position of authority, took a light jab by a subordinate at his perpetually poor attitude to an extreme, and criticized her obvious (clothing) religious affiliation.

He no longer works for us.

Now, from what you say here, you didn't go as far as he did, but you approached the line by bringing religion into a non-religious disagreement over behavior, yours and hers. When I am offended by something someone who works under me says, I tell them, "I find that offensive. Please do not do it again." If the comment or offensive term used is directed at some behavior I have exhibited, I will still ask the employee not to make such comments, after which I attempt to reflect on what behavior I might have displayed that would have elicited such a remark.

Likely in your case she was thinking, "asshole," chose a less offensive term, and then got her initial thought proved correct.

Had you been my supervisor, you and I would have been in a meeting with HR that same day.

I don't know why people post their "I'm in a really bad mood, and here's what I did to take it out on someone else today" threads. What, precisely, did you expect? Pats on the back for making someone else's day as miserable as yours?