The CFO of this company checks the kitchen/fridge every single day. His office is right by the employee entrance, he'll ask to see it because that's just the kind of person he is.

I'm not pressing any issue or anything like that - I was just wondering if it's legal or not to do such a thing.

I did nazi that one coming.

Well, there goes that. Back to the drawing board I go!

You should find out exactly what is and isn't prohibited during Passover, then bring in what isn't and if they give you grief chastise them for being bad Jews.

This is what I was referring to

I'm taking Pete's suggestion and converting just for Passover. It's bad enough I'm not Catholic, maybe my mother-in-law would be down with me becoming Jewish. I'd get to leave early on Fridays...huzzah!

Seriously, rice is now a leavened bread product? I think Ree's bosses need to spend more time reading science texts and less time coming up with lists of foods people can't bring into the office next week.

Maybe they're not orthodox Jews at all but Atkinsites. That would explain the no rice and pasta part, at least.

"And our lord sayeth stick to lean proteins, eggs and green vegetables and avoid sweets at all costs."

Get yourself an insulated lunch bag. The kind you can put those blue ice packs in to keep it cold. Keep the bag in your drawer or under your desk. When it's time for lunch, take it, leave, eat, come back. Is the CFO really going to ask you to open the lunch bag under your desk? If so use a larger handbag than normal and keep it in there so he can't even see it.

It's not a bread product, it's a quibbly interpretational thing (according to About's thing on Kosher for Passover). "These foods are off limits because the rabbis determined they violated the principle of ma'arit ayin. This principle means that Jews should avoid even the appearance of impropriety." Some traditions think you shouldn't even risk looking like you're eating something bread-ish; others don't care. Unfortunately, her employers are apparently of the former.

Gotcha.

I'm with this thinking. I'm pretty sure once your employer starts going through your personal belongings on a hunt for bread products, the line is crossed on acceptable business practices.

Also on the plus side - I'm going to drop a few pounds. Helped me out last year when I had a wedding dress to fit into!

And then if he does look and fires you for it, you'd have a legitimate claim in court for wrongful termination.

Chris nested quotes for your sins.

I don't want to toe the line and have to get into that sort of thing. If I can avoid having him grill me about what is in my lunch bag I'm going to. If I bring in food and he asks me what it is, I'd rather him see that it's not against the guidelines and move on to the next person who brought a bagel in because they want to prove a point.

NO CHAMETZ, MUHFUCKAH.

Oh young whippersnapper, it's not that easy. They'd never fire her for that. They'd make her life miserable to terms they are allowed to in hopes that she leaves. If she doesn't they begin the process of nitpicking and write ups based on things that are almost never enforced but don't normally lead to firings so they cover all their bases.

There are worse things in life than being fired. Sometimes not being fired is ALOT worse.

Tell him you didn't bring any food in and no, he cannot look in your purse. What is this bullshit? I can understand if they see you eating it at your desk or in the break room but now you can't take the food and leave the building to eat it? FUCK THAT NOISE. Burn the place down ree. I'll help.

I am kind of chuckling at this point now. Not at you, just the situation. I'm imagining your boss walking around the office with his hands behind his back while people nervously type and stare at their screens.

He stops.

WHAT DID YOU BRING FOR LUNCH TODAY!!??!!

They want you to burn the place down - that helps get rid of the chametz!

Dude I don't speak made up shit. What does that mean?

For example, just off the top of my head, she's been on this message board a bit today...

Chametz is Hebrew for "bread-cetera" - all the leavened shit that I'm not supposed to eat during Pesach. Fortunately for me, I'm as bad at being Jewish as I was at being Catholic!

I suppose this is why sexual harassment suits rarely result in a favorable outcome for the victim.

Of course, this is exactly the creepy line that I was talking about earlier with "what rights should a business owner have"? For whatever reason, it's really important to their faith that they keep the place Kosher for Passover. Which literally requires them to not have bread *in the building*. At all. If they were requiring all people to get rid of bread at home and were going to make bread inspections of your house? Yes, bullshit. For asking you to do certain things in the office, burn the place down? How about a dress code? It's their property, not yours. I'm not saying you should want to work at a place that wants to check your stuff, but it's a little fucked up to get "burn the place down" because they want to have their office be a certain way.

It just got better.

Those who are observing Passover...WON'T EVEN BE HERE.

Bread Party!


YOU get a pizza, YOU get a pizza, YOU get a pizza!

Don't forget to get your stapler back first, though.

I wish that I didn't have to go to class now, because I feel like I'm going to miss all of the fun.

Bad news: in a Shyamalanian twist, It's Sbarro!

Ah. Thanks! Yeah I don't get this religious "don't eat" nonsense. Pascha (Greek Easter for all you heathens) is on the 15th. That means next week is my "Holy Week" and the strictest phase of the Lenten fast. I've already got the skirt steak in my Fresh Direct shopping cart for my weekend order.

And I said she should take the food out of the building to eat it. That's my point. Keep it out of sight, leave the building then go back in. I'm not saying she should have a neon sign out saying LOOK AT ME I"VE GOT BREAD! I'm not even saying she should keep it in the fridge. Keep it in your purse and leave during lunch. What right does anyone have to look through your personal bag? And if they're doing that then yeah that's fucking bullshit. Personal property inspections? Are you kidding me?

I could probably get away with it and then go eat at Bryant Park or something on my lunch hour if it's warm enough. I just won't sit here at my desk and say, 'I HAVE A SANDWICH IN MY PURSE EVERYONE!'

I wish my direct boss would say something like he did for summer Fridays. Everyone's allowed to leave early but his sales team. "My sales team can bring this stuff in, everyone else can't."

She should bury her lunch in her purse beneath a couple of dildos and female condoms, just to be sure. Then if anyone tries to search her bag, the first thing they'd find would be that stuff and she could call them out as pervs.

I really hope the Rangers win tonight.

Which one is more tolerant for everyone:

1. We will be observing Passover next week, and based on our traditions, this has us abstain from partaking in or being in the presence of leavened bread products such as (list), so we respectfully request that you do not bring these items into work next week. If you must bring them in, please do not leave them in public view.

or

2. Just a reminder that next week is Passover and you can not bring in any of (list) products next week, and any such products still in the refrigerator will be discarded.

One is asking in the spirit of cooperation, the other is imposing and demanding.

Yes, they own the business and probably (although not necessarily!) can enforce this if they want "or else," but it comes down to one of the fundamental tenets of a well-functioning society: Just because you have the power advantage to be a dick doesn't mean it's okay to be one. Why am I supposed to give a damn about Judaism on Passover or Catholicism on Fridays when I don't belong to either denomination and I'm just trying to do my job? I'm not trying to impose on them, they're trying to impose on me.

I never force my colleagues to drink during the Feast of Alvis...

They totally could have worded it better, it's a douchey letter for sure. I guess the way I'm seeing it is that it's not that they want you to give a damn; it's that their religion for whatever reason requires them to give a damn about spaces they can control. Which includes their office, and cafeteria, and yak yak yak. They're imposing, and it's a pain in the ass, but they're not doing it to piss you off or to make you find out what it's like to be a Jew. It's just a thing they're doing. Like - I don't know, I hope I don't sound snarky, I don't mean to be - installing flushless urinals in the men's rooms to save water. (My company did that. Hate it.) They're trying to make their space better environmentally. It's also inconveniencing you because it fucking stinks twice a week when it backs up now; but they were trying to accomplish something that meant something to them in the office.

It just seems like a very hard scenario, because drawing a firm line based on it would seem to rule out a lot of flexibility to run a business that jibes with your own belief system.

Honestly I don't know why ANYONE would use a work fridge. I haven't been in an office yet where people didn't either steal or have science projects growing.

What about if the company was Catholic and most of the employees were not Catholic, but the company wanted to force all of its employees to follow their religious rules to make them happy? Does that still fly?

He's probably say the same thing. It's legal. And he'd be right.

You talk about tolerance, but then you end it by saying "why should you care, just let me do my job" Having it in the office is apparently against their religion. They run the office. It seems as though if given the choice you'd say "screw you I'm bringing in bread"

How is that tolerant?

Because the job is not about their religion. At least, I assume so. I think Ree works for some sporting goods thing. Why does anyone have to care about religion in a job that has nothing to do with it? That's entirely unfair.

Again, who's making the imposition?

A: We're not going to eat or be around bread and you can't either.

or B: Fine, you don't eat bread and I'll try my best not to get in the way of your practices and keep my bread out of your sight.

A is dictating, and not only isn't B dictating, they're going out of their way to at least try and make things more agreeable for A.

There has long been some weird expectation on the part of some religious followers that their practices should resonate with the non-believers as well. Don't take the name of the lord in vain, don't eat meat on Fridays, etc. I am not trying to be disrespectful but I have never heard one good reason why I should care. Worship your religions to your hearts content. But they have nothing to do with me and really, that's that.

Our fridge is cleaned out every Friday. Everything gets tossed out if you don't take it out by 5:30 on a Friday.

Is there such a thing as a bread-suit? Because I would wear one to work. "What? I cleaned out my desk? Now you're going to tell me what I can wear to work too?"

Whats with you women always thinking about losing pounds when it doesn't seem you have to!? I remember once i had like a Costanza moment where a friend just had like a salad with simple grilled chicken slices in it, and i ordered the choc souffle at the end. A small....little...souffle. Not even a bite. How is it taking her out to lunch when she barely had anything? Seriously. It does not count! She was fine in weight! Maybe even too thin!

Have you been on a week long cocaine bender?

I think he's just....

....
....
....
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....drunk.