employee with high blood pressure

Whatever

On Friday, a secretary was given a three page letter at 3pm by the vp she works for and was told it had to go out that day. She works until 4:30 pm. She proceded to go on her 10 minute break. When she came back, she started walking around the office to complain to anyone who would listen that she couldn't possibly get it done by 4:30. The office manager took her aside and told her to sit down and type the letter. The employee sat down and appeared to be carefully reading the letter that had to be typed. At 3:45, she went to the vp who was meeting with two other employees and told him that she couldn't get it done, could it wait until Monday. Since she always complains when she gets work after 3, he told her (in a rather nasty tone) to go to her desk and type the letter. He would not except any excuses. She proceded to type the letter in 15 minutes. She was out Monday and Tuesday because she was sick. Today, she brought in a note from her doctor stating that "due to a confrontation at work, her normally normal blood pressure was very high." He also gave the blood pressure reading.

Finally the question. Do I have an unusual problem and what do I do about it.

Mentel

Asking an AA to type a three page letter in 90 minutes is not a hardship. You have a disciplinary problem and you better get going and start writing incidences like this up. This person is probably also a morale problem for co-workers. She doesn't have a disease, she is the disease.

ritaanz

Well said! Ooops, written.

Whatever

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-02-03 AT 10:00AM (CST)[/font][p]I think I better reword the question. Since the doctor stated that her high blood pressure is due to the confrontation (cynically I say based on medical findings), we are probably going to send it sky high. I am concerned that because of the doctor's statement, she may be setting herself up to bring a lawsuit of some kind. I'm just not certain that I am not being too much of a worry wart.

Gillian

You are being too much of a worrywort. Do what Mentel says and start the corrective action process on each of these instances. Anybody can sue for everything but this one would probably get laughed out of court.

Don D

Today, she brought in a note from her
>doctor stating that "due to a confrontation at work, her normally
>normal blood pressure was very high." He also gave the blood pressure
>reading.
>
I would give that note less than zero credibility. There is no way a doctor can make such a statement with any degree of reliability. All he did was write down what she told him and he collected $37.50 as she left. So, is this a practitioner who allows patients to self-diagnose? The note could have just as easily, and probably more accurately, read: "Due to the fact that the patient was asked to perform a routine office task and actually get off her duff during a period of time when she would rather take a break, she feels her blood pressure, as a result, rose. Please excuse her from such tasks toward the end of her work day from this point forward." I would deal with the performance issues you identified early in your post. That behavior should be disciplined. Don't give her a pass on this one. You have a high-maintenance employee.

HRPeg

Absolutely start documenting. You are not bound to accepting poor performance because someone has high blood pressure. She has to be able to complete all the functions of the job and not holding her accountable to standards would not be a reasonable accomodation anyway! If word gets out, suddenly everyone will have high blood pressure anytime they are questioned or documented for performance or other issues. Be sure to include the statements that she made to others in the office as well.

Pork

WHATEVER: As already posted, this would most likely be best handled by the BOSS; A VERBAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE INCIDENT WITH EXPECTED BEHAVIORAL CHANGE BY THE BOSS IS REQUIRED, WHICH THEN STARTS THE PRESENT DISCIPLINE PROCESS. your role is record keeping and advisce to the department manager. Caution: to treat her as if she has a medical problem is to treat her as a ADA case.

Given that her blood pressure situation rose was most likely self induced with her complaining and efforts to control her time and task that she "will and want do"; she will continue on these same lines unless she is faced with a need for behavorial change. Only the BOSS and the concerned individual can face this situation; keep you out of the action!

If high blood pressure is a result of one little office conflict then the BOSS and company may need to get her a physical examination by a company retained physician. High blood pressure is an every day life situation with me, however, it is controlled by medication taken as 5MG once a night. It is now very difficult for my blood pressure to be out of the norms for my age at any time during the working day. That being said, counselling with behavioral change is definately in order! Pork