There should come a point and time in a person’s life when risky or downright dangerous pranks should be unacceptable. However, a maintenance manager of a townhouse complex in Michigan seemed not to have grown out of his mischievous ways. While clearing a wasp nest with a subordinate employee, the boss “intentionally pointed the spray bottle at his face and sprayed him in the eyes with the solution.” A simple, harmless prank on someone is one thing, but doing something that can possibly injure another person is obviously crossing the line.
The maintenance worker contacted his roommate to tell him what happened, who then posted the situation on Reddit to seek legal advice on the matter. “[This is] the kind of thing a 10-year-old boy would do thinking it’s a joke,” remarked the concerned roommate. “I told him to immediately document it and secretly try to record his manager admitting to doing it.” Doubtless, someone who performs pranks of poor taste like that would definitely not have the spine to admit accountability for their actions if called out. So getting any sort of evidence on the matter would be the move, for sure.
It goes without saying that multiple people agreed with the top commenter’s suggestion: “File a police report. That’s assault.” Another chimes in, saying that the affected worker should contact the maintenance company’s HR management and inquire how it handles urgent care for on-the-job accidents. That way, no stones would be left unturned with the worker’s explanation and the boss’s possible confession. Another Redditor also lets OP know that “secret recording” could land the victim in hot water as well, so it might be best to go directly to the police or the manager’s employer.
One important detail to note was that OP did mention the wasp spray was a mix of soap and water, which can still irritate the eyes. However, things could be a lot more serious if there were other unsaid chemicals or insecticides involved. Whatever the case, I think most would agree with the comment criticizing the manager’s immature behavior: “It’s the kind of stupid jokes that cause serious workplace accidents. The most efficient thing your friend can do is report it to higher-ups.”
