Send us a text This week, Jenny and Sarah tackle a topic that somehow manages to be both extremely relatable and extremely lawsuit-y: swearing at work.It starts with a law update that made both of them do a double take. Turns out, “letting an F-word fly” at work is no longer just a culture question. In some cases, it is a legal one. And in 2024 and 2025, the courts made that line a lot thinner than it used to be.What’s inside this episode:[05:32] Why swearing can make you seem more authentic and more trustworthy, according to research[12:17] Why that same swearing can still get your company sued[14:56] The court cases that changed the rules around hostile work environment claims[15:55] Why one single comment can now be enough to trigger serious legal trouble[25:09] The difference between swearing at the printer and swearing at a person[17:17] Why gender-specific and identity-based slurs are basically a career-ending choice[18:13] How different industries and different countries treat workplace language very differently[28:31] The impossible spot employers are in between the EEOC and the NLRB[34:25] Why “that’s just how our industry is” is not a legal defense[35:48] What new grads and early-career employees should do about swearing at work (hint: don’t)[39:03] How much these lawsuits actually cost companies when things go wrong[40:30] Why culture always starts at the top, for better or worseJenny and Sarah are not here to pretend nobody ever swears. They are here to explain why the workplace is a different arena, why intent does not protect you from impact, and why “we’ve always done it this way” is a very expensive strategy.Hit play for some uncomfortable truths, a few wild stories, and a very clear explanation of why the law does not care how authentic you feel. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related