MOSI fires boy with Autism (Oldsmar: transfer, tax, living)

[CMor2Day]

The Museum of Science and Industry is firing a young man with autism. He received a 3-4 complaints his first week in customer service - which is a lot. They had him shadow another employee for a week, told him that he should use words like please, thank you, okay but next time... things to soften the blow. He then went a week with just one complaint (significant improvement) and then the next week he was fired bcs he told the child directly and not the parent that he was breaking the rule (kid was like 8-10) and it startled the child. So 6 complaints in 4 weeks.

What do you think? Is that reasonable? Is it lawful?

Mind you the people complaining - are breaking the rules - touching exhibits, bringing open drinks into exhibit areas and his job is to enforce the rules. He can do his job, the customers just don't like how its done - "he could be nicer", "he didn't have to say it so loud", "he was rude about it" those kind of vague things.

IDK.

I think they need to make a good faith effort to train him .. or transfer him to a non-customer service job. Why fire him? It is obvious it is because of the disability. In addition, he's working in a temporary, part time position. Why not work with him for the couple of months the Sea Monsters exhibit is there and then if he doesn't make the improvements let him go.. there's just no reason to fire him. They could schedule him less while he does some additional (volunteer) training. I think firing people has detrimental effects.

In addition, MOSI is planning on opening an exhibit about Autism and they can't even work with with someone who's made strides (1 complaint compared to 3/4 his first week) dealing with the obstacles that come with it.

In addition - bcs everything's done by committee - no one is accountable, bcs it isnt' just her (VP) or him CEO saying he needs to go (bcs they all have enough heart to know you work with people not throw them away) so no one stands behind it and yet there's "no other choice but to fire him". Please! I can come up with a half dozen in the 10 min I wrote this!

I can't personally take action against MOSI bcs my livelihood would be at stake but I would support anyone who did. He worked in the education department under VP Anthonette Carregal. President of MOSI -> Wit Ostrenko.

[jsun556]

Maybe there were no non-customer service jobs available.

[EngGirl]

I think young man with autism took a wrong job to begin with.

I mean "Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior" doesn't go well with customer service...

[newguy101]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

I think young man with autism took a wrong job to begin with.

I mean "Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior" doesn't go well with customer service...

[gulfer]

It may look bad from the Outside, but a business has to do what they feel right for the customers and the balance sheet.

I don't want to sound bad about it, but there are some people that shouldn't be in Customer Service. I know plenty of people that have no impairments or handicaps that should not be in Customer Service.

I don't agree with just giving the boy a different job, that is going to cost money. I do give MOSI props for hiring this young man and giving him an opportunity. But I would not like to see tickets go up .50 cents each so that people can have a job when there isn't one.

What I think would be pretty nice is if that places like MOSI would set up fund raising throughout the year. Take whatever is donated from willing people and hire people out of that. The more kids and young adults that have jobs on the backs of donations vice increased prices is a win/win. I like to think that I am open to donating a 100 dollars to MOSI for something like this. Find 39 others like me, you have 4,000 dollars and they can hire some teenager for the Summer. Would rather my money go for that than a lot of other things it goes for.

[Maggi07]

This is a difficult situation. The boy behaved in a way that is very typical for Autism. It isn't something that can easily be changed about a person, if it can be changed at all. Our society does not accommodate people who are any different than exactly how we think they should be. This puts the company in a bad spot because they have to take care of their bottom line, regardless of how they may feel about giving him an opportunity.

I am curious, though, exactly what should these people do to earn a living? If everything in the service industry is out, that removes a whole lot of chances to learn how to function in a job and move up in the world. There simply are not a lot of entry level jobs that don't involve functioning with people. Many people also don't want tax money to support anyone that doesn't pay for themselves. So, what's the solution? Removing opportunities and at the same time refusing (or at least griping and complaining about) financial assistance doesn't make sense.

[vaughanwilliams]

Frankly, they need someone a little rude to enforce the rules. You should forward this to the TBT.

[topchief1]

Well, is Florida a right to work state? If so, they can fire him for whatever reason they please.

[Sunscape]

Big HR mistake, he should have been placed in a job he could do. It's called reasonable accomodation.
And I agree , this should be known by the media.

[Maggi07]

Originally Posted by Annie of Oldsmar

Big HR mistake, he should have been placed in a job he could do. It's called reasonable accomodation.
And I agree , this should be known by the media.

Yep. Doesn't sound like any reasonable accommodations were made.