euphemistic use of "exempt"

Christopher Philippo toff at MAC.COM
Wed Sep 17 13:22:40 UTC 2014


On Sep 17, 2014, at 9:03 AM, Geoff Nathan <an6993 at WAYNE.EDU> wrote:
> In some other unionized context (such as universities) 'exempt' means 'not a member of the union', and therefore not subject to restrictions on hiring and firing ('exempt' employees are usually 'at-will', and can be fired without cause). Also they can be subjected to more stringent employment restrictions, but can also supervise others. 

I wondered about that.  There had been an Exempt Fireman’s Association in Troy, NY: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=116843416

Incidentally, if Ancestry.com ever adds some advanced search options to findagrave, it might become possible to search just the headstone transcription field there.  I don’t know if there’s any citations in the OED presently from headstones, but that could become a possibility.

Chris Philippo
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