Legal ?

[MacDaddy]

If customer brings a job in and you have a moral or difference of opinion, on the topic the are wanted printed. Is it legal to turn it away? Just wanted some other thoughts we can't agree in our shop.

[daveholmes]

If you live in a free country then it is your decision who you deal with or don't deal with.

I can always deal with an annoyed customer however i don't think I could deal with myself if i let my moral or my ethics fall down

[Erik Nikkanen]

If customer brings a job in and you have a moral or difference of opinion, on the topic the are wanted printed. Is it legal to turn it away? Just wanted some other thoughts we can't agree in our shop.

You should get real legal advice and not look here.

You are supplying a service to the public and for you to refuse service to someone, for any reason, might be viewed legally as discrimination.

[gordo]

If customer brings a job in and you have a moral or difference of opinion, on the topic the are wanted printed. Is it legal to turn it away? Just wanted some other thoughts we can't agree in our shop.

You should ask a lawyer.

However, I do believe that you are not required to do anything that is illegal. For example, if the customer wants you to print counterfeit money you are within your rights to turn the job down. Or if the job contains copyrighted that you know the customer does not have the rights to. In both cases you would be held legally liable.

If the job is legal and you do not want the job (e.g. pornography) - the usual way of handling the situation is to quote the job so high that you won't get it.

best, gordo

[VladCanada]

Just add a religion/faith aspects, Gordon, and you told us a complete answer.
All my respect!

[printshopgirl]

Reminds me of this:
I, Cringely » Blog Archive » FedEx Kinkos Won’t Print Our Christmas Card - Cringely on technology

[Muddy]

I had a similar request a few years ago for a series of pornograhic posters. XXX full nudity and .........intercourse etc. I didn't like the idea of printing them so I told them some outrageous price ($75000 or something like that) and a very long turnaround time (6 months). They went away on their own

[Kevin@Kodak]

Just add a religion/faith aspects, Gordon, and you told us a complete answer.
All my respect!

Dangerous territory... Would it be "legal" for an Athiest printer to turn down a job printing the Bible (or whatever inter-faith scenarios you can imagine)? I'm not sure if opening that debate here would be a good thing though.

If a job would be disruptive to your business (internally or externally), you should have a good basis for declining to accept a certain job. Just as a carwash can refuse to wash a clunker that's falling apart and may damage their equipment, can't a printer refuse a job that will damage their reputation or cause employee turmoil?

Gordo's comment on using your quoting process to make these issues moot is probably the safe bet in any case.

Kevin.

[Erik Nikkanen]

Dangerous territory...

Gordo's comment on using your quoting process to make these issues moot is probably the safe bet in any case.

Kevin.

Having an unusually high price as a barrier could also be considered as discrimination. The fact that it is offered as a method to avoid such business can be used as proof that it is discriminatory.

Just because some customers will walk away does not mean that some other customer might sue.

Legal advice is required. Legal issues are not about common sense or right or wrong, it is about what the law is and what a court will decide.

[gordo]

Having an unusually high price as a barrier could also be considered as discrimination. The fact that it is offered as a method to avoid such business can be used as proof that it is discriminatory.

Just because some customers will walk away does not mean that some other customer might sue.

Legal advice is required. Legal issues are not about common sense or right or wrong, it is about what the law is and what a court will decide.

Yes, legal advice is required.

That being said, increasing the price to avoid business is common practice in the industry. The given reason for the increase in price is not to avoid the job per se but to cover the additional expenses that will be incurred by the nature of the job (potential legal liability issues, increased facility security, possibly the hiring of contract workers etc.).

Has anyone ever sued a restaurant for its "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service" policy?



best, gordo