My boyfriend leaving work made a joke about quitting. Something simple like “i quit then”, cannot exactly remember but it was not offensive or anything like that. Our store manager happened to be outside at the same time (this occurred outside in the (empty) parking lot, off the clock) and heard what was said, and said he didn’t appreciate it which we brushed off as it wasn’t a stern tone or anything like that and we assumed thatd be the end of it.
Fast forward a couple hours he gets a text from his direct manager stating that he said this in the store, in front of customers, and to turn in his resignation letter tonight as ‘someone’ complained. This is not what happened. Cameras can be checked to confirm. He is now waiting to find out what happens with this and his job. I have told him to escalate the situation above our store manager& assistants, but how likely is it he would actually be disciplined and or fired? People joke daily about wanting to quit, and say so much worse, yet no one has ever gotten in trouble up until this happening.