3 ms·

I think you and the grandparent overlooked something: the article mentions "a few threatening phone calls", and from the description of how the employee behaved

by brazzy 13y ago

I think you and the grandparent overlooked something: the article mentions "a few threatening phone calls", and from the description of how the employee behaved, those likely were phone calls where he threatened the company or management. Even though that was obviously a symptom of his mental illness, it's probably sufficient to make the firing legal.

DanBC 13y ago
Threatening phonecalls are obviously very serious. And it's possible that those threats were not a result of mental illness but just anger and stress. But still, maybe they were a symptom of illness and while legal it'd be better if companies could work with employees who have mental illness. "Fire fast" is popular mantra but there doesn't seem to be much investigation on the effects of employee churn.
- danielweber 13y ago
  Imagine you are an employee. You find out that another employee has made threats of violence. He's coming into work today. What do you do? It really really sucks for the mentally ill guy, but it's not on the other employees to tolerate it. A violent coworker is just as violent whether it's due to a chemical imbalance, him being a deliberately violently person, or him being justifiably angry with the boss.
  - DanBC 13y ago
    I say "hi", I ask about the meds he's on, I ask about his time in hospital. Maybe it's because I've seen inside different forensic units (medium secure and low secure) and a variety of different mental health wards that I can appreciate the difference between people who make threats of violence (which are not acceptable) and people who have been violent.
    - aestra 13y ago
      > I say "hi", I ask about the meds he's on, I ask about his time in hospital. Good God, that is awfully rude. Let the man have privacy. Do you want all your coworkers asking about your medical problems, in detail? Do you share your medical history and current medications with all your coworkers?

by brazzy 13y ago

DanBC 13y ago

Threatening phonecalls are obviously very serious. And it's possible that those threats were not a result of mental illness but just anger and stress. But still, maybe they were a symptom of illness and while legal it'd be better if companies could work with employees who have mental illness. "Fire fast" is popular mantra but there doesn't seem to be much investigation on the effects of employee churn.

danielweber 13y ago
Imagine you are an employee. You find out that another employee has made threats of violence. He's coming into work today. What do you do? It really really sucks for the mentally ill guy, but it's not on the other employees to tolerate it. A violent coworker is just as violent whether it's due to a chemical imbalance, him being a deliberately violently person, or him being justifiably angry with the boss.
- DanBC 13y ago
  I say "hi", I ask about the meds he's on, I ask about his time in hospital. Maybe it's because I've seen inside different forensic units (medium secure and low secure) and a variety of different mental health wards that I can appreciate the difference between people who make threats of violence (which are not acceptable) and people who have been violent.
  - aestra 13y ago
    > I say "hi", I ask about the meds he's on, I ask about his time in hospital. Good God, that is awfully rude. Let the man have privacy. Do you want all your coworkers asking about your medical problems, in detail? Do you share your medical history and current medications with all your coworkers?