People pull pranks at work for any number of different reasons—boredom, the desire to build esprit de corps or be the office clown—but HR should make sure practical jokes don’t go too far. All too often they do.
“Pranks that are not at all related to a protected class are unlikely to be considered unlawful harassment,” said LaKeisha Caton, an attorney with Pryor Cashman in New York City. “However, pranks that single out employees based on a protected category or a characteristic that relates to a protected category, like hair texture, are likely to be considered unlawful harassment and have no place at work.”
