Depression and ADA

amercy

I have a Customer Service Supervisor that makes her team cry and they hate going to her to ask questions. She intimidates them, she yells, she does the tone change, and she outright refuses to help them to take an irate call. She says, "They are Customer Service Reps and they should be able to handle the calls."
Well, she was reprimanded and when her manager met with her she stated, she was clinically depressed and needed to do something about it. Now, the manager has decided if the supervisor needs to have a dialogue with anyone from the team the manager would be present.
I think this can lead to a lot of trouble. Please give me your input.

A~

SMace

Depression, whether it's covered under ADA or not, does not give someone freedom to act like an idiot. The information you've given does not lead me to believe they are covered under ADA. Define the unacceptable behavior and follow-up. If they ask for leave, follow your policy of granting leave. I see no problem with the manager being there when the super has conversations with her staff other than if the manager isn't available and something needs to get done.

marc

Stephen makes a good point. The only follow up I would add is that just because an EE makes a claim of a potential ADA issue does not make it so. If the EE persists, make them document the condition before engaging in the interactive process to discuss accomodations. And remember, any accomodation must be reasonable for the company and need not include behavior that the company considers injurious to other EEs or itself.

System

What good is a supervisor who can't supervise? The current setup is an unreasonable accommodation and it sets a bad precedent for someone who might not be disabled. Be compassionate and patient, offer her EAP and time off, but it sounds like she's incapable of performing supervisory duties right now.

Good luck -- it looks like rough sledding ahead.

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

Don D

"Now, the manager has decided if the supervisor needs to have a dialogue with anyone from the team the manager would be present."

The 'manager' has effectively neutered the supervisor with that decision. Not a terribly effective management move.

SMace

>I have a Customer Service Supervisor that makes
>her team cry and they hate going to her to ask
>questions. She intimidates them, she yells, she
>does the tone change, and she outright refuses
>to help them to take an irate call. She says,
>"They are Customer Service Reps and they should
>be able to handle the calls."

This is a supervisor that needs neutering. If your intent is for the manager to observe the supervisors behavior when dealing with the ee's and then provide guidance on how to improve then I think you are doing the right thing. If they can't improve, drop the ax.

Maybe it's a little late, but I think it's positive that the manager is now wanting to do their job.