As I said before, being a jerk isn’t illegal. Typically. And Michael’s conduct, although extremely self-centered and rude, probably does not violate anything more than the accepted standards of conduct in polite society. But rude conduct at work can be more problematic. At least according to a recent case from the Delaware Supreme Court. Recently, the court held that an employee could bring suit against his co-workers for injuries he received in a prank gone wrong. According to the case, co-workers detained the plaintiff in the bathroom and wrapped him from ankles to shoulders in duct tape (the case didn’t explain why but it is a story that I am dying to hear). The plaintiff was injured and sued his colleagues. Breaking from established precedent of dismissing such claims under the “workers compensation exclusivity” doctrine, the Court said that workplace horseplay can be so far removed from the scope of the prankster’s employment that it takes it out of workers compensation system and into court.
Some food for thought the next time that Jim decides to trick Dwight using Pavlov’s theories.
