The Boundaries of Joking

What type of joking or humor should be off-limits in the workplace?

Anti-harassment/discrimination programs make joking about race, sex, national origin, color, religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation fodder for establishing that the employer has created or permitted the creation of a hostile work environment and yet is there a workplace in which no jokes have been made about age?

Although some attorneys may prefer no joking at all since a humorless workplace would be less likely to spark discrimination complaints, such an environment would be unattractive to most people and would probably harm productivity and morale. Employers, managers, supervisors, and employees search for reasonable boundaries.

I recall a fire captain saying that he never permitted joking about family members because eventually a line would be crossed and a permanent animosity would arise. Other offices carefully avoid political humor on the basis that it can generate similar divisions.

It is easy to say that any joke should be allowed without any repercussions. That goes against experience. Long time relationships can be sundered over casual thoughtlessness and minor cruelty. Discretion is needed but so too is a willingness to forgive the occasional transgression. At some point, all of us are in need of the latter.