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Mayor Bloomberg Doesn't Like Games
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 10, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 10, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Forget city policy for a moment - people want to know if playing solitaire while being paid on the city's dime is a fire-able offense. And yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg admitted that the city employee up in the Albany office was really fired because the Mayor saw solitaire up on his computer. Edward Greenwood, victim of the Mayor's "all work, no play" ethic and Microsoft, told the Times he has no "real animosity towards the guy. He's the boss, so if this is the way he wants it handled, there's nothing I can do about it. But am I happy about it? No."
The Mayor claimed that he barely knows how to use the computer, thus doesn't partake in solitaire, so we imagine Bill Gates has already put in a call to send him a Microsoft employee to tutor him. At the press conference, he said:
"I expect all city workers — including myself — to work hard. There's nothing wrong with taking a break but during the business day at your desk, that's not appropriate behavior."
Okay, so, if an employee, say, went outside to smoke, that'd be okay (though unhealthy). Or if an employee were to linger at the water cooler a little longer, gossiping, that'd be okay. But playing solitaire or stretching at your desk 'cause you're penned in like a veal, that's not okay? If anyone knows what the rules of conduct are in city office, let us know! One reader commented yesterday that they seemed to be chatting on the phone
And what makes this story even more ouchy is that the Mayor only saw the computer after Greenwood asked if he could take a picture with him! D'oh! Too bad for Greenwood that the Mayor isn't like Mr. Burns, who forgets who his employees are after each run-in. Now, back to your TPS memo cover sheets, people.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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