Coworker violent comment, wwyd? UPDATE post 54

[hlane]

If you had a coworker who had just got into trouble for performance (an ongoing issue) and this person was speaking out of anger starting making violent comments, wwyd?

Examples of comments are..

I should hire someone to take care of XXX (boss)
I have friends that can take of people
I could dress in all black, bring my gun and take everyone in this place out

etc...

BTW...this took place at my DH job and he handled it the way he thought was right at the time but now is not so sure and neither am I.

 

[java]

We had someone at work get fired years ago. He was always a little off. Then he started showing up places where we would be- like at a conference or at lunch. It was always a "oh you guys are here?" kind of interaction but it totally creeped me out. Then I went out to lunch and saw him leering at me from behind a column. I went back inside and told security.
Never saw him again.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Since I do not have a death wish, I would report him asap.

 

[ducklite]

He might have just been blowing off steam, but why take the chance that he was or wasn't?

The repeated comments are what would make me nervous.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I'd rather report it and be wrong than not report it and have something terrible happen.

 

[Barb D]

Absolutely report it to management and the police.

 

[Loverly]

Anyone making even vague death threats should be terminated, IMO

 

[wilderness01]

I would report it as well so I didn't take a chance.

 

[Heidict]

I would report it. It's better to be safe then sorry. Imagine the guilt you would feel if he really did show up with a gun and people started getting shot and killed. Knowing that you could have prevented it and did nothing........

So, HLane, what did your DH do?

 

[KelNottAt]

At my company we have a very clear non-violent workplace policy. Knowing and understanding it is part of our annual Compliance/Code of Conduct training. All employees are required to report threats - direct, overheard, or otherwise. It's the right thing to do.

 

[DoeWDW]

I think I'd talk to the person in a casual way first, if it were just one or two comments after an upsetting incident. I'd be curious to see if they were serious or just blowing off steam. However if it became a repeating pattern, I'd report it.

 

[WhatATreat]

I would report it. He is not just making casual threats aimed at the boss, he is threatening the whole office and creating a hostile work environment.

 

[hlane]

So, HLane, what did your DH do?

DH did report it, HR had him put it in writing. Their employer took it very seriously and police were involved. They escourted the guy out of the building, a police office cleaned out his desk, he was told to have no contact with anyone from the workplace, and is not allowed back on the property.

I guess he is just suspended and a final decision will be made by tomorrow (Friday), in the meantime all coworkers are going to be interviewed. DH was told that after about an hour of being questioned by police that the coworker did admit to saying the stuff but said it was out of frustation.

I feel horrible about it and now DH does too and thinks he should have just stayed out of it. DH and the guy were kind of becoming friends, have been to each others house (well just once for a few mins) and talked outside of work several times. I told DH he was probably just venting to someone he considered a friend and now feels betrayed.
DH says he just didn't want to take any chances because this guys is "kind of weird" (his words not mine) But DH does like a little drama here and there and I wonder if he was just stirring the pot??
But I know how it is to lose your job and all that follows it (been there, done that & lost our house over it) and hate to see that happen to someone else.
The coworker is a very nice guy I just think he made a bad choice in venting his frustration and now I feel really horrible for the outcome especially with it being DHs doing (well not fully but YKWIM).
And then I feel bad for feeling that way...then I think well great if this guy is crazy...he was just at my house last month so he knows where we live and he knows that DH is the one that reported him

 

[Dodie]

You know what, if someone says this stuff, you simply have to go to management. You have no choice. All I can think about is all of the crazy workplace shootings where they're interviewing a coworker after the fact who says something like, "Yeah. He was always saying crazy things and making threats, but we didn't take him seriously."

 

[poohandwendy]

Wow, I wouldn't think twice about reporting this.

 

[Wishing on a star]

No only would I report it to management. ( A carefully worded memo that stated quotes and facts... nothing more, nothing less. )

But then I would report it to the police, unless you are quite sure that the management has both taken action and reported it to the police. I swear, I would almost consider having the police there to escort him from the building as I terminated this employee.

People like this are dangerous.

 

[barkley]

as someone who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder based these types of threats in the workplace i reccommend reporting it immediatly.

these types of threats equate to a hostile working environment, and an employer does'nt always know the 'whole picture' about an employee's mental health, history and their propensity to act on their threats (or in the case of one of my former employee's their ability to represent to their friends or family their perception of being a victim who needs assistance in avenging themselves-in which case a supervisor can be blindsided with threats or violence from an outside source ).

i had 3 situations with violent threats in the workplace (2 from employees, 1 from a client), it was discovered after i insisted that the police get involved that 1 was using the 'victim' track and had enlisted some proven violent friends and family to do her dirty work against me (prolonged verbal harrassment), one had a record of assualt and battery against women, and one had a history of assault, battery and terroristic threats against 'people whom she holds as authority figures' (supervisors, law enforcement, civil servents).

it's one thing for a person to 'blow off steam'-it's another when they are making statements about potential violence (i was advised that with some people verbalizing it to others and receiving no response or subsequent reaction on the part of managment or security reinforces in their mind that they are formulating in their minds a correct plan of action ).

 

[JR6ooo4]

He might have just been blowing off steam, but why take the chance that he was or wasn't?

The repeated comments are what would make me nervous.

It is one thing to say
"what a wonderful friend you have there, let us hope something runs over her" ~ Marge Simspon's bowling coach

But repeated threats in the style of "I am going to blank blank them" should be reported to management and/or the police.

Mikeeee

 

[barkley]

No only would I report it to management. ( A carefully worded memo that stated quotes and facts... nothing more, nothing less )

But then I would report it to the police, unless you are quite sure that the management has both taken action and reported it to the police. I swear, I would almost consider having the police there to excort him from the building as I terminated this employee.

People like this are dangerous.

yup.

several years ago another agency that was down the street from my former office had an employee who made these kinds of threats. supervisor did'nt take it seriously-thought the guy was just venting. the day came when it was wholy apparant that he was going to be terminated due to performance issues, and the supervisor took no precautions. guy brought a gun to his meeting and killed the supervisor, her boss, a person from h/r (all in the meeting) then 2 or 3 people who just happened to be in the hallway that led from the office to the exit (guy later said he had nothing 'against' them-that they were just 'in the wrong place at the wrong time'). i was saddened for the supervisor, but angry that she did'nt consider the other people that she was exposing this jerk to that day.

 

[ducklite]

It is one thing to say
"what a wonderful friend you have there, let us hope something runs over her" ~ Marge Simspon's bowling coach

But repeated threats in the style of "I am going to blank blank them" should be reported to management and/or the police.

Mikeeee

Exactly. I was joking with a co-worker last week (no animosity or anger, we were both joking around) and said that I hoped that one of our not so favorite customers would find an asteroid parked on her car, and it wouldn't bother me if she were in it at the time.

I wouldn't take something like that as a threat because it was obviously made as a joke, and certainly isn't something I have control over or could "send" someone to do, and the chances of it happening are so infitismally small that no one could take it seriously. The context and situation means a lot in situations like this.