Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Ruling in Bipolar-Threat Case Brings Mixed Legal Opinions

Workforce Management
Lawyers for employers say a court decision that upheld the termination of a bipolar employee balances the legal obligation of employers to accommodate a worker’s disability with their responsibility to provide a safe workplace. But lawyers for that employee say the appeals court gave employers far too much latitude. By Matthew Heller
August 2011

Like many employers, the Superior Court of Orange County (California) has a written policy that prohibits verbal threats or threatening behavior.
In October 2007, it fired Linda Wills from her job as a court clerk for making threats toward co-workers—even though she was experiencing a severe manic episode of her bipolar disorder when her misconduct occurred and her doctor said she had never posed a threat to anyone.

Full Story: http://www.workforce.com/section/legal/feature/ruling-bipolar-threat-case-brings-mixed-legal-opinions/index.html

No comments: