IBM firing

[DieselBoy09]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6682827.stm

I don't know what to think about this. I'm divided as I can understand, but typically I wouldn't attribute such a problem to stress induced over a war, typically the only time I have heard about it has been from broken households and families where neglect and abuse are a problem.
What are your thoughts?

[Feba]

Re: IBM firing

It's a cheap excuse for slacking off on the job. End of story. If it's debilitating, you see a professional, and get professional results, or you learn to work around it.

[Sabaron]

Re: IBM firing

If they win... I might be able to claim that I "self-medicate" by coming in to work 4 hours late, and leaving 2 hours early or... that perhaps I am "addicted" to sick days... maybe even "obsessed" with office supplies to the point where I am habitually forced to steal increasingly valuable goods from work (workstations, servers, color laser printers, copy machines, premium writing instruments, plants, cubicle walls and furniture, etc...).

Hell! I can't be fired for doing any of those things! I'm simply addicted to being a bad employee! Give me vast sums of money!

[Jei]

Re: IBM firing

....

Addicted to sex. and he's 58. What position was he working as I wonder....

[Gyotsha]

Re: IBM firing

Hah. Another person making up a horrible excuse to get money. I don't see how he could possibly win in court. It's just not the same type of addiction as drugs or alcohol, and if it really is self-medication it should be done on break.

[DieselBoy09]

Re: IBM firing

Well that's the thing. Sex addiction is a real thing. Its not so much being addicted to sex, but its more so that the person has a "need" for sex which typically gratifies them in some way by making them feel loved, or needed, etc... but in this case I feel it doesn't really fit the criteria, and if it is infact sex addiction, its odd that it only gets noticed when he's 58, and that he never before felt a need to seek help. *shrug*

[Gyotsha]

Re: IBM firing

Yes, that's true. I did not know a need to visit a sex chat room would fit into that category though. Just doesn't seem right to me. Meh. This is the company's fault to some degree though. They're IBM. They should have atleast known how to block sites and certain content from the internet on their network. Sure, they could have handled it better, but I still don't this guy can win this case in court. Like you said, he should have seeked help either on his own or from his company.

[Feba]

Re: IBM firing

A lot of companies are lenient with their networks, and don't block content, and they don't even say he was using his work computer, at least when I read it. It's very possible to get pr0n on your cellphone.

[Jei]

Re: IBM firing

For such popular company, their employee should at least be trustworthy enough not to browse those site during work imo.

[Murphie]

Re: IBM firing

For such popular company, their employee should at least be trustworthy enough not to browse those site during work imo.

Definitely. I mean, if you're at work, being paid for your time, that's not the time for porn.

Heck, even if you're not technically being paid for your time, you shouldn't use company property to look up porn.

If you really are a "sex addict" (I doubt this guy is), then you should get your own computer at home to look this stuff up.

[Feba]

Re: IBM firing

that's not the time for porn.

Yep. Personally, I have no sympathy for people slacking off on their jobs. "Oh hey can you hepl me do this? I'd look it up myself but i'm at work anyway"