Employee Outbursts

KP68

Employee was being disciplined for frequent outbursts at co-workers, and while in the process, he stated that he has MS and that it impairs him from remembering or acknowledging the difference between "an outburst and normal behavior".

We will start the interactive reasonable accommodation process to show a good faith effort on our part, but I'm wondering if anyone has come across a scenario similar to this in the past and if there would even be anything we could do to accommodate this, short of isolating him from other employees in the office.

On the other hand, does anyone feel that this is generally unacceptable behavior and should not be tolerated regardless of the alleged condition?

Just wanted some thoughts on this one.
Thanks in advance -

Hatchetman

If you are unaware of a disability that causes an emplyee to act inapprpriately or to perform poor, you may hold the emplyee accountable as you would a non-disabled emplyee.

Once you learn of a disability and you accommodate it you may hold the emplyee accountable for inappropriate behavior and/or poor performance.
The problem is that sometimes the accommodation you make isn't effective so the search needs to go on.

In getting informaiton from the treating practitioner about the medicla condition and the degree to which it impairs a major life activity, provide to the doctor a job description thtat not only identifies the essential and non-essential duties, but alos indicates the expecations related to physical, mental and enviormental demands.

Thus, if interpersoanl relations are required indicate that.

Ask the doctor how the imapairment affects the duties and those demands and ask for recommendations as to the types of accommodations.

Don D

I know there's a syndrome that causes inappropriate profane outbursts, but I did not know this was also associated with MS. As Hatchet suggests, I would run that question by a knowledgeable physician, certainly not the employees, or I would prefer not to do that, unless we already had ongoing dialog.

KP68

Quick update on this: the employee's own physician has provided me w/documentation stating there is no condition to accommodate.

Short and sweet (for now!).