Is it okay to prank employees with a fake firing notice for April Fools’ Day?

[Vaculin]

The idea just popped into my head since it’s April Fools’ -- I thought it might lighten the mood at work. I was thinking of sending out a fake memo listing employees who are getting terminated, but obviously as a joke.

But now I’m wondering… Is this actually illegal or just really unethical? What do you guys think - should I go for it, or is this one of those stupid ideas I should just drop?

(P.S. If this isn’t the right place to ask, mods, feel free to move it!)

[TryNinja]

About being terminated, not funny. People have bills to pay, kids, dreams, you're just making them anxious.

Changing their wallpaper or putting their windows screen upside down, etc... that's the harmless type of thing you should be doing.

And yes, wrong board. What does this have to do with the forum?

[Mrbluntzy]

The idea just popped into my head since it’s April Fools’ -- I thought it might lighten the mood at work. I was thinking of sending out a fake memo listing employees who are getting terminated, but obviously as a joke.

But now I’m wondering… Is this actually illegal or just really unethical? What do you guys think - should I go for it, or is this one of those stupid ideas I should just drop?

(P.S. If this isn’t the right place to ask, mods, feel free to move it!)

This discussions on this board is usually based on only matters that concerns the forum. You can move the thread to the off-topic board.

Concerning your plan for the April Fool's Day, I think it's better you just do it with your best of friends at your work place. People take things differently and if you do it generally to all employees that are not your cool friends, some of them might not take it likely with you for any emotional problem they may face with such news.

[Charles-Tim]

(P.S. If this isn’t the right place to ask, mods, feel free to move it!)

You can post something like this on Meta board because it is not related to this forum. Threads that are about this forum are the ones that are on Meta board. Post it on either politics & society board or off-topic. Or maybe Serious discussion or Ivory tower.

It is very bad. It is not illegal but not good and not official. What is business is business and it should be official.

[bittraffic]

With the rise of pranksters today on social media, its now becoming normal to prank that even when seriousness happens, people may sometimes asks if there is a camera focusing on them.

Fake firing notice though is somehow very offensive. One could really cry aloud when is real. Having no job in this time is a hell. This is emotional abuse I believe but would you file a case after learning its an April fools prank?

[NotFuzzyWarm]

HELL NO! It is NOT okay!

[btc78]

The idea just popped into my head since it’s April Fools’ -- I thought it might lighten the mood at work. I was thinking of sending out a fake memo listing employees who are getting terminated, but obviously as a joke.

But now I’m wondering… Is this actually illegal or just really unethical? What do you guys think - should I go for it, or is this one of those stupid ideas I should just drop?

i don’t think it’s illegal but you need to realize that this will affect them a lot since you’d put them under stress but if you want to do this i will advise giving them a benefit afterwards like maybe give them a raise or a promotion after so they forget about the prank

[Reynaldo]

People shouldn't mix friendship and work IMO.

Fake firing notices aren't just "pranks" they're literally playing with people's livelihoods and mental health. In this economy, losing your job isn't something to joke about. Even a few minutes of thinking you're fired can cause legit trauma.

[franky1]

though my post is late for the event, advice for next year,

if you are going to go through with it next year:
if the memo is coming from a known HR departments email. can lead to lawsuits and the prankster getting fired
if the memo is coming from the janitors email/office jokester.. people can take a joke

try not to make it look too official. make it kind of obvious that its not serious.. after all its suppose to be about pranks and fun, not fear and fraud

the april fools are always suppose to be obvious to smart people, to catch the fools that dont look/think about things properly

[mich]

Well I do not think this will be illegal to do that. It would be a cruel prank but I do not think you are breaking any laws for this.

But I do think the employees will think it was was done on April Fools. And then they would think it is only a joke. I have been fired from jobs before and it is not nice to even joke about that.

[Mr. Magkaisa]

The idea just popped into my head since it’s April Fools’ -- I thought it might lighten the mood at work. I was thinking of sending out a fake memo listing employees who are getting terminated, but obviously as a joke.

But now I’m wondering… Is this actually illegal or just really unethical? What do you guys think - should I go for it, or is this one of those stupid ideas I should just drop?

(P.S. If this isn’t the right place to ask, mods, feel free to move it!)

It is the best APril fools for them if at the end of the day you will get your notice back with another post of their names with a 100 or more dollars to get tomorrow morning on their table or at the HR.
They will feel sad and terrible thinking all day what happened (so be ready if they cant work good) but the sadness will change to smiles and laughters.

[boyptc]

I hope that no one on Earth did this kind of prank. While many still celebrate april fools, as long as it's not going to affect someone's emotion, it's fine.

But to pull with this kind of prank, the world is experiencing a lot of problems now and so don't add up to pranking someone with this kind of idea.

I didn't even see a lot of pranks anymore, the world is stressful right now. 

[LoyceV]

Is this actually illegal or just really unethical? What do you guys think - should I go for it, or is this one of those stupid ideas I should just drop?

It's stupid. To me, a good April Fools joke must:

• be funny
• be innocent
• make the "victim" feel dumb for believing it

If the victim can't laugh about it, it's not a good joke.