Threat of Suicide at Work - FMLA/ADA/STD???

Jackie

We have an employee who has threatened suicide twice so far, at work.

The first time it was "considering cutting herself with trim knives", Oct. 2000. We contacted her psychiatrist's office who supposedly treated her. She was released to work the next week. We required a 2nd opinion before allowing her to return to work, and she was off an additional 6 weeks before our doctor released her to work. She has used up her EAP counseling sessions for the year, and maxed out her health insurance counseling sessions.

This week (June 11, 2001) she has again said "she was thinking of killing herself" in the presence of the HR clerk & Gen. Mgr. after she came to work visibly upset. (I was later told she had received a denial from Social Security for Disability SSI.) We took her directly to a local counselor and submitted forms for FMLA evaluation. She is off this week on "vacation" & we are waiting for FMLA form to be returned for our review. We may still require a 2nd opinion.

Does our response to these events seem to be in-line with general HR & FMLA/ADA/STD procedures? We are certainly hesitant to have someone working who seems to be this unstable.

Pls comment.

xsafford

Some years ago I had a female hourly employee who started acting in a very bizarre manner at work. The HR Manager spoke to her and then sent her home for the day. The next morning she was found in her apartment sitting on the floor, playing the guitar and singing over the dead body of her brother, who she had murdered with a kitchen knife the night before. Imagine how the HR Manager, who neglected to get her professional help, felt. After that incident I take no chances. When this kind of thing comes up forget about EAP, insurance limits or any other considerations. This person is begging for help. Do everything you can to be an advocate for her.

Terry

You could check and see if there are any charitable organizations that can offer assistance. Making a few calls to the local hospital or social services would definitely be worth the time, the EAP should also be able to offer some referral assistance. Also, contact your insurance broker or medical insurance representative and see if there is anything that can be done about extending the visits.

Gar

As insensitive as this may seem, I would get her out of the workplace pending the results of a fitness for work evaluation by a qualified physician. Think about it this way. What if she brings a gun to work and, in the process of taking her own life, kills or injures others and you knew she was capable of doing this given her statements?