A very good reason why companies "right to fire" should be limited. (employee, employer)

[NorthStarDelight]

I find this hard to believe, that someone was fired for saving someone else's life - which was his job in the first place as a lifeguard.

http://http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...e-zone-it.html

But "rules are rules," huh? Today's employers are beyond moronic - I'd not take a job even if it was handed to me on a silver platter...lol.

[nybbler]

Pretty typical. The authoritarians will of course mouth the company line that "by doing so he put those in his zone at risk". Which is true, but amounts to saying that putting those people at slightly elevated risk is worse than allowing the drowning guy to die with nearly 100% certainty.

[NorthStarDelight]

Originally Posted by nybbler

Pretty typical. The authoritarians will of course mouth the company line that "by doing so he put those in his zone at risk". Which is true, but amounts to saying that putting those people at slightly elevated risk is worse than allowing the drowning guy to die with nearly 100% certainty.

Exactly. What was that guy supposed to do, just sit there and say I can't save the drowning person??

Good thing two other lifeguards quit in support of the fired one - hopefully the media will make a huge embarrassment of this lifeguard firm for their object foolishness.

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by NorthStarDelight

I find this hard to believe, that someone was fired for saving someone else's life - which was his job in the first place as a lifeguard.

http://http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...e-zone-it.html

But "rules are rules," huh? Today's employers are beyond moronic - I'd not take a job even if it was handed to me on a silver platter...lol.

It ain't rules it's lawyers.

What if he broke the rules and died in his attempt to save a life?

Obviously the employer could have been on the hook for millions in damages and then you got OSHA to deal with and here it can get real ugly and fast.

It is obvious the employer didn't properly train the employee or he wouldn't have lost his life. $50,000 fine? $150,000 fine? Your guess is as good as mine and what about criminal liability with the possibility of a jail term for the evil capitalist scum failed to properly educate the employee costing him his life?

Never underestimate the stupidity of brain dead bureaucrats who are in charge of government bureaus.

If you doubt this I had an employee who had a small gasoline powered saw, it wasn't but we can call it a weed eater if you want to get an idea, that broke in the middle of a project. He rented one and for extra gasoline he went by his house and grabbed a personal gasoline can that wasn't OSHA approved.

OSHA came by, saw the gasoline can, the gasoline can that I didn't even know about, and next thing I know I get a notice of fine for $25,000 for "allowing" an employee to have a non-approved gas can.

$5,000 in attorney fees later I get the fine dropped down to $2,500 but had to sign a statement that next time it would be a "willful" violation and heavier fine.

I would have fired him too.

[wheelsup]

Lifeguard was in a bad situation. Had he refused to help and the guy drowned, he could've been sued under some sort of good samaritan law or something.

[thebunny]

You would be amazed at some of the laws that are out there because companies have to deal with lawsuits. A friend of mine is a paramedic and he can lose his job for using the skills he has with work when he is not working. If he tries to help someone in distress while off the clock, he AND the company can be sued if something goes wrong. If he is on the clock, then it is usually just the company and just if there were clear issues with the care received in the emergency. The sue happy culture in this country, as he puts it, means that he can't save someone's life because he may lose his house in the lawsuit.

[Rambler123]

The lawsuit nonsense is out of control in this nation, as mentioned in examples above. This is strangling our economy and creating insane situations where doing the right thing results in job loss or lawsuits... or situations with no answer at all that doesn't led to problems. This crud has to end!

[vitalaeon]

Originally Posted by Rambler123

The lawsuit nonsense is out of control in this nation, as mentioned in examples above. This is strangling our economy and creating insane situations where doing the right thing results in job loss or lawsuits... or situations with no answer at all that doesn't led to problems. This crud has to end!

People just want to get rich quick, and law suits are the easiest way to do it. So they think, of course.

[Pruzhany]

It has nothing to do with the company he works for. He violated the ordinance for beach coverage. The ordinance basically states that his coverage area is at most 200 yards of beach coast and 50 yards out into the sea from his post. By him leaving his station, he caused three areas to be in violation (the two guards who left their posts). By leaving his station he put numerous lives in danger. He in one motion tried to save a life 500 yards away via coastline (it was probably more since the person was out at sea), but he all put 100s in danger at the same item which he didn't think about. The company in reference is required to carry $1m insurance policy. So thanks to his actions "7" people in total lost their jobs since the all stated they would violate the ordinance.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/florida-lifeguard-fired-rescue-attempt/story?id=16711655

There was a manager on the site and he should have been contacted as they all had radios. It was the managers decision to make and not his to leave his post.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Hallandale-Beach-Lifeguard-Fired-For-Leaving-His-Zone-For-Rescue-161372785.html

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by vitalaeon

People just want to get rich quick, and law suits are the easiest way to do it. So they think, of course.

Right.

This sue-happy culture to get rich quick is merely a sympton of a bigger problem facing our society.