Fools rush in where employers fear to tread

Practical jokes galore, headlines going stir crazy and foolish frivolity are all part of the madness that is April Fool’s Day.

Numerous people will find themselves as the butt of the joke whilst others will be the brains behind it but either way the whole point of April 1 is to have a laugh. Or is it?

Some employers will not be seeing the funny side to the typical annual antics as certain employees feel that some jokes can be taken too far.

One Lloyd’s underwriter specialising in employers’ liability said: “A simple prank on one day can lead to a later charge of harassment or bullying.

“Employers have to ensure that staff are clearly told what is deemed to be acceptable behaviour in the workplace.

“The failure to do so could end up with the management looking the bigger fools in court.”

Employees would do well to remember the case of US firefighter Tennie Pierce, who had a reputation for playing pranks on fellow firefighters. Pierce’s co-workers played a prank on him by spiking his spaghetti and meatballs with dog food, but the joke back-fired when he claimed racial discrimination and won. This cost the city of Los Angeles $1.43 million in restitution plus legal fees.

Past April Fool’s Day hoaxes include, the BBC’s current affairs programme Panorama, claiming that spaghetti grew on trees, Burger King introducing a ‘left-handed Whopper,’ Tesco’s genetically modified whistling carrots with air holes and the closure of the internet for 24 hours for ‘spring cleaning.’

It is thought that April Fool’s Day originated in France when the Gregorian calendar was introduced by King Charles IX. Previously, New Year’s celebrations were traditionally held between March 25 and April 1 but with the introduction of the new calendar, New Year was moved to January 1.

Those that continued to celebrate the New Year in April, or forgot, became the butt of jokes and were called Poisson d’avril, meaning ‘April Fish.’