10 Comments
Apr 27, 2023Liked by epimetheus

I have very poor carpentry skills, although the toy pig pen I built out of restaurant chopsticks years ago held up nicely, but I too would happily volunteer my carpentry skills.

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Welcome to the club!

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Apr 27, 2023Liked by epimetheus

Discrimination like this has a long tradition here in Germany, when it comes to state officials (Beamte, and this includes teachers). Basically, if you're too fat, you won't get Beamten status, and remain ordinary employee. Every company with policies like this would drown in discrimination lawsuits.

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Apr 27, 2023·edited Apr 27, 2023Author

Same in Austria.

There's the law, and then there's the 'practice' of it.

Disgust doesn't quite capture what I think this is, in particular as the legal profession and the courts are complicit in this.

I do hypothesise, though, that the past 3+ years have 'undermined' corporations' trust in 'the justice system' actually working, hence I suppose that more abuse of employees will follow.

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I was shocked when first applying for jobs in Germany that a headshot photo plus info on marital status and kids was expected in job applications.

Coming from the anglo world where unfair dismissal cases are a staple, I asked, "but doesn't that undermine anti-discrimination employment laws?" Unapolegetic answer: Yes

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Apr 27, 2023Liked by epimetheus

On the other hand, once you're in, it is very difficult to fire you in Germany.

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Yes, on the face of it very true.

Though I have feeling, if they really want to fire someone, they always find a "legitimate" excuse.

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Apr 29, 2023·edited Apr 29, 2023Liked by epimetheus

What word soup and equivocation. Gotta love it! How about a Vodka drink named, "Words of Art"?

Or a joke: What happens when you give a political leader vodka? You get words of art!

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Apr 27, 2023Liked by epimetheus

People with Parteibuch (or proof of injection in this case) usually get preferential treatment, otherwise what's the point of the stick unless there's a carrot (even if the carrot is metaphysical, as in "not getting whacked with the stick quite as much as the ones who abstain").

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Exactly.

Repeat injections have replaced the oath of loyalty, (monetary) membership dues, and the like.

Plus, one gets the option of virtue-signalling one's affiliation (or depravity).

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