Joseph,
Why aren’t you judging the guy who requested mechila l’kaf zechus that he requested it properly. Especially since no one claimed otherwise.
It’s possible I’m not; I’ll have to think about it.
The minyan was, as Sam indicated, per S”A. I don’t think Sam would have invited the minyan into his home if he didn’t want to grant mechila, as he indicated.
So why not the yard, or the hall? Bringing it to the workplace is reminiscent of the tactics of shady collection agencies.