I was terminated the day after giving notice for using the “r-word” in the heat of the moment. Inappropriate, that’s on me.
Haven’t started the new job yet, but I submitted my background info for a Secret clearance the week prior. What should I do at this point? Tell them? Keep quiet? I’m worried about blowing it because I said something dumb… 
You submitted your forms before this incident? Then the investigator might ask about it at the interview, but until then there is no need to update the forms.
This will probably set off some alarms, but you can honestly tell them that this happened after you submitted the forms and you weren’t trying to cover up your reason for leaving.
Now I have to go try to figure out what word starts with “r” that could get one terminated…
Yeah, they were submitted before the incident.
I said “retarded.” (Mods: I’m using this to explain the context, not hurling insults at anyone. Please don’t drop the ban hammer on me.) PC culture is just ridiculous.
Fired, for that? Jumpin’ Jiminy, that’s - well, you can fill in the blank with any of a number of in my not so humble opinion completely legit words or phrases, but I’ll go with “stupid”. I don’t know if I’d even say it’s an inappropriate words. Insensitive, sure, but not what I’d call a firing offense. But then I’m old-school and thick skinned.
On the upside, maybe call your new organization and let 'em know you’re available a little earlier than expected!
It could be a person in that office has handicapped family. I totally get it…growing up we flung that word around and we did not mean mentally handicapped when we used it. It’s meaning was different for us. Over time I came to understand how hurtful it was. That said…just be clear to companies what happened. They dont want a hot head…but might understand injudicious use of a word we now know hurts.