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"CANCER SURVIVOR GIVES NEW EMPLOYER THE WILLIES!"

Dear Kathryn: I'm in the middle of what I consider to be a squirrelly situation.

As department head of medium sized company, I searched long and hard to find a strong collections account executive that could handle the difficult client base we have. As a matter of policy, all new employees are screened for drugs and must sign off on background checks. No problems in the regard with the new prospective employee.

We do a relaxed welcoming lunch and orientation the day before their official start date. Well, my new hire is charming and very open and shared with others, including my boss, that she is a cancer survivor.

My boss blew into my office saying how could I have been so stupid to hire a cancer survivor in a job as tense and demanding as this one?! I professionally responded that she fit all the qualifications, drug test, references and credit check requirements and there were no red flags. As far as I was concerned, a cancer survivor shows drive and fight. My boss is insistent that we will face long absences for chemotherapy as well as very high medical insurance cost. She said during lunch that she hoped she wouldn't need more chemo but she felt that was more of a prayer than a reality. That statement sent him flying around the room like a bat! He acts like cancer is contagious!

I say that the fortitude exhibited by this cancer survivor far outweighs concerns about yet-to-occur absences. My boss feels that the offer should be rescinded and if I've got to make up an excuse to make it happen, then I need to do it.

I say this is unfair and in addition, not professional. What do you think I should do here? Do we need to provide an excuse if we rescind the offer?

Mary Anne P., Cromwell, CT

Dear Mary Anne:

Your employer is treading into dangerous territory. While you can rescind the offer and not give an explanation, don't be naïve to think that your employee won't visit the Commission on Human Rights or a private attorney. She's not a survivor for nothing and my guess is your employee would consider pursuing a disability claim and the CHRO would likely jump on the band wagon and help her.

With your employer's goal to rid yourself of this person, Attorney Zaccardi cautions your employer to take the following steps slowly.

He suggests letting the employee begin work. Carefully watch to be certain the employee meets all of the job and performance requirements from day one that you normally expect of any employee. Document any issues or problems as well as any absenteeism. Excessive absenteeism, where an employer can prove a hardship, will play to your employer's side.

Paying huge medical insurance policy bills, I can understand his concern about future medical premiums; however I think he's gone off the deep end here. Good luck in dealing with him.

Hope that nothing like this ever happens to you. Who knows how your callous employer would respond?!

Dear Kathryn:

I'm staying awake at night trying to figure out what to do next. I know that one of my employees has a horrible home life and a maniacal, physically abusive husband. Her work is generally very good but she is so miserable with her life, she acts like an angry bear, lashing out at her co-workers.

I have witnessed her ready to throw files at her peers, telling them to get out of her way in a stream of four letter words. After a call from her husband, she just about spits at people. When I've addressed this with her, she's apologized, still continued to do good work, and started swearing at her peers in Spanish as an alternative.

I've now at least an inch thick folder of complaints from her coworkers and am at a loss what to do next. Her work is better than many here but I can't blame the others for complaining. I'm in a closed door office not right near her and don't feel the brunt of her crazy behavior but as I've seen and heard the staplers flying across the room when she's wound up. While she has yet to hit someone with a flying object, I am worried.

I feel badly for her in so many ways and am at a loss how to handle this.

TOM W., West Haven, CT

Dear Tom:

While your sympathy for this woman's personal issues is admirable, you are doing so at the risk of potential harm to your other employees. This is certainly causing a morale problem, and I'm surprised you are not worried about it.

Why should her peers have to worry that the spastic employee will better aim the stapler during her next temper tantrum? No one should have to live in fear of bodily injury because you feel badly for this woman. You owe your other employees a positive, safe working environment.

You truly need to give her a final written warning. Have a sit down meeting with her, giving her a memo to sign off on that this behavior is not tolerable. Explain she has thirty days to prove that she has reformed. Not controlling her behavior will result in termination. It is mandatory that you focus this meeting on her behavior, not her at-home problems. At this stage, her personal problems are outweighed by her in-work temper tantrums and that is your problem to control.

PS-Tell her personal calls are only allowed during her breaks or lunch hour unless it's a real emergency. This may help to limit the added aggravation her husband provides. Good luck.