Fired IBM worker sues for net addiction - bit-tech.net Forums

Da Dego · 20th Feb 2007, 15:13

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/02...net_addiction/

DougEdey · 20th Feb 2007, 15:15

He was an idiot. He broke the contract he signed. He should have sought help.

Mother-Goose · 20th Feb 2007, 15:15

If he wins that is a mockery.

plagio · 20th Feb 2007, 15:20

He deserved to be fired period.
Feel sorry for his disease but he clearly broke the contract he signed

Awoken · 20th Feb 2007, 15:44

Disease? Please, there are people with real diseases out there. He may/may not have a mental health issue but its not something that he couldn't have sought help for. This culture of scapgoating and people not taking responsibility is ridiculous and wastes tax payers money.

.exe · 20th Feb 2007, 16:36

People now a days will sue anyone for any reason. This guy clearly broke the rules and should take responsibility, not make up some excuse to sue.

supermonkey · 20th Feb 2007, 16:41

He doesn't have a disease. He has an addiction that he apparently is using to self-treat PTSD. He has issues, and hopefully he'll get the professional help that he needs.

If he had brought the issue to his Human Resources people, then IBM would most likely have helped him get the counseling he needs. Most companies these days have an employee assistance program in place. Instead, he chose to log on to an adult site while on the job, using a work computer. Under the terms of his employment, IBM was just in firing him. It would be the same if he had been caught shooting up in the restroom.

-monkey

plagio · 20th Feb 2007, 16:47

right, issues, not disease. I agree

DXR_13KE · 20th Feb 2007, 17:03

this news sounds familiar... like deja-vu.... this news or a news similar to this has been posted in the past.

anyway IBM was in their rights to sack him.
mental illnesses are not a soft matter.... they can kill you or the people around you.... if you don't treat it correctly.

randosome · 20th Feb 2007, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXR_13KE

this news sounds familiar... like deja-vu.... this news or a news similar to this has been posted in the past.

anyway IBM was in their rights to sack him.
mental illnesses are not a soft matter.... they can kill you or the people around you.... if you don't treat it correctly.

yeah i swear this is really really old news

Fod · 20th Feb 2007, 17:45

Quote:

its policy against surfing sexual internet sites whilst at work is very explicit.

nice choice of words, there

devenfore · 20th Feb 2007, 17:49

Why do people think they have a right to work somewhere? IMO you should be able to fire anyone for anything anytime. It's your company, you're in it to make money. If you have an employee with an illness (mental or physical), then it is up to you whether or not to keep paying them / keep them as a potential liability.

Wolfe · 20th Feb 2007, 19:30

If I recall correctly, you can get fired for having a drug / alcohol habit as well.

How is that a defense?

randosome · 20th Feb 2007, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by devenfore

Why do people think they have a right to work somewhere? IMO you should be able to fire anyone for anything anytime. It's your company, you're in it to make money. If you have an employee with an illness (mental or physical), then it is up to you whether or not to keep paying them / keep them as a potential liability.

as long as you have a just reason to fire them, i think that's fair enuff

although on the disability front, its a bit harsh if you break your arm, through no fault of your own then get fired

HourBeforeDawn · 20th Feb 2007, 22:04

lol Im sorry tv addiction. drug addiction, in this guys case an internet porn addiction is his issue not that of the company and if he cant do his job correctly then he should be fired instead of babied or else we would have even more pathetic people in this world. How pathetic.

Glider · 20th Feb 2007, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by devenfore

Why do people think they have a right to work somewhere? IMO you should be able to fire anyone for anything anytime. It's your company, you're in it to make money. If you have an employee with an illness (mental or physical), then it is up to you whether or not to keep paying them / keep them as a potential liability.

Sorry, but I hope you catch a cold, and can't come to work because of it for a week. Then if you come back your boss has kicked you out because he payed you a week (which is 1/4th of your months wages) and you haven't done squat...

cpemma · 20th Feb 2007, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glider

Sorry, but I hope you catch a cold, and can't come to work because of it for a week.

That doesn't clash with devenfore's argument. When your boss looks at your value to his company he should take into account absences for whatever reason. If he's happy with your record and wants to keep you despite your faults, that's OK. He's footing the bill.

devenfore · 20th Feb 2007, 23:31

Exactly. What I meant is that the boss should be LEGALLY able to fire anyone he/she pleases, however I would hope that he/she takes into account personal matters, etc.

Glider · 20th Feb 2007, 23:35

And that is precisely what I dislike... If your boss all of a sudden dislikes your face he can fire you? TBH that isn't fair... If you don't do your job, or take a piss at everything, or willingly stay "ill" at home then the boss has reasons to fire you, but not at random

Dr Dark · 21st Feb 2007, 09:31

This is actually OLD news - seem to remember this from August last year...

And yes, if he'd sought help, things might have been different...

Claiming "addiction" just because you've been caught doing something you know full well you shouldn't is a load of crap.

I use MSN a lot at work - only in the office, and am careful to whom I talk, and how long I use it... If I'm on a clients site, I can't use it....

If I was caught messing about - like several people here have, then I'd damn well expect to be fired with no mercy.

20th Feb 2007, 15:13	#1
Da Dego Brett Thomas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 3,906	Fired IBM worker sues for net addiction http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/02...net_addiction/ __________________ "Frankly that seems overkill. iluvtrees2 arguing with spec is the intellectual equivalent of a bunny rabbit taking on a pissed-off lion." - Nexxo

20th Feb 2007, 15:15	#2
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	He was an idiot. He broke the contract he signed. He should have sought help. __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

20th Feb 2007, 15:15	#3
Mother-Goose Tories ftw! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: England - Surrey Posts: 3,750	If he wins that is a mockery. __________________ Goose Q6600, Striker Extreme, 4GB 6400C4 Dominator DHX, Raptor X, 2x400GB spinpoints, BFG 8800GTX OC, Stacker 830 Evo, HX620, Nova T 500, Freezer 7 Pro

20th Feb 2007, 15:44	#5
Awoken Gazing at the stars Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Marston, Oxford Posts: 1,144	Disease? Please, there are people with real diseases out there. He may/may not have a mental health issue but its not something that he couldn't have sought help for. This culture of scapgoating and people not taking responsibility is ridiculous and wastes tax payers money. __________________ Saving for a new desktop and laptop (Ooooh! Is that Windows Mobile 7 and Android 2 around the corner?)

20th Feb 2007, 16:41	#7
supermonkey Space Monkey Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,710	He doesn't have a disease. He has an addiction that he apparently is using to self-treat PTSD. He has issues, and hopefully he'll get the professional help that he needs. If he had brought the issue to his Human Resources people, then IBM would most likely have helped him get the counseling he needs. Most companies these days have an employee assistance program in place. Instead, he chose to log on to an adult site while on the job, using a work computer. Under the terms of his employment, IBM was just in firing him. It would be the same if he had been caught shooting up in the restroom. -monkey __________________ But of bliss and of glad life there is little to be said, before it ends; as works fair and wonderful, while still they endure for eyes to see, are their own record, and only when they are in peril or broken for ever do they pass into song. -J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

20th Feb 2007, 15:20	#4
plagio Multimodder Join Date: May 2004 Location: Rome, Italy Posts: 141	He deserved to be fired period. Feel sorry for his disease but he clearly broke the contract he signed

20th Feb 2007, 16:36	#6
.exe What's a Dremel? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: St.George, Utah Posts: 15	People now a days will sue anyone for any reason. This guy clearly broke the rules and should take responsibility, not make up some excuse to sue.

20th Feb 2007, 16:47	#8
plagio Multimodder Join Date: May 2004 Location: Rome, Italy Posts: 141	right, issues, not disease. I agree

20th Feb 2007, 17:03	#9
DXR_13KE Madeira's banana is the best!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Madeira ; Portugal Posts: 6,476	this news sounds familiar... like deja-vu.... this news or a news similar to this has been posted in the past. anyway IBM was in their rights to sack him. mental illnesses are not a soft matter.... they can kill you or the people around you.... if you don't treat it correctly. __________________ *Renegade X - 0.40 Release!* <---- CLICK!

20th Feb 2007, 17:49	#12
devenfore LANCandy Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 284	Why do people think they have a right to work somewhere? IMO you should be able to fire anyone for anything anytime. It's your company, you're in it to make money. If you have an employee with an illness (mental or physical), then it is up to you whether or not to keep paying them / keep them as a potential liability.

20th Feb 2007, 19:30	#13
Wolfe Hypermodder Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: /root Posts: 768	If I recall correctly, you can get fired for having a drug / alcohol habit as well. How is that a defense? __________________ User subject to random acts of normality.

20th Feb 2007, 22:04	#15
HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cali, USA Posts: 1,796	lol Im sorry tv addiction. drug addiction, in this guys case an internet porn addiction is his issue not that of the company and if he cant do his job correctly then he should be fired instead of babied or else we would have even more pathetic people in this world. How pathetic. __________________ Current Rig: RubyRED • Lian-Li A05B • (2) Swiftech 220 Radiators • (2) D5 Variable Pumps • (2) Res • and a whole lot of modding • Retired Rig: Project F.E.A.R. • TT Lanbox Lite • Swiftech H2O-120 • Q6600 G0 OC@3.6ghz • 2900XT • 4gb SuperTalent Memory •

20th Feb 2007, 23:31	#18
devenfore LANCandy Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 284	Exactly. What I meant is that the boss should be LEGALLY able to fire anyone he/she pleases, however I would hope that he/she takes into account personal matters, etc.

20th Feb 2007, 23:35	#19
Glider /dev/null Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 4,102	And that is precisely what I dislike... If your boss all of a sudden dislikes your face he can fire you? TBH that isn't fair... If you don't do your job, or take a piss at everything, or willingly stay "ill" at home then the boss has reasons to fire you, but not at random __________________ There Are 10 Types Of People, Those Who Know Binary and Those Who Don't

21st Feb 2007, 09:31	#20
Dr Dark What's a Dremel? Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Somewhere in the UK Posts: 18	This is actually OLD news - seem to remember this from August last year... And yes, if he'd sought help, things might have been different... Claiming "addiction" just because you've been caught doing something you know full well you shouldn't is a load of crap. I use MSN a lot at work - only in the office, and am careful to whom I talk, and how long I use it... If I'm on a clients site, I can't use it.... If I was caught messing about - like several people here have, then I'd damn well expect to be fired with no mercy. __________________ Proud to be part of Virtual Normality X2 4600 / 2GB OCZ GOLD Ram / 512mb GT7900 Golden Sample / 580w Type-R PSU, 200 gig of diskage, and 5339 3d Marks without any mods! Tho it has a load of fans!