McDonald's Employee Shot at Work; Insurance Company Refuses to Pay Costs

[wagegoth]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6958997&page=1

Nigel Haskett stepped in and got the assailant out of the store. The assailant then shot him.

I've already emailed McDonald's to inform them how I feel about this.

[draggar]

Many companies (including mine) have the "don't be a hero" and "don't defend youself" policies in place. I think it's complete BS.

[Broomjockey]

However, legal experts say that according to the letter of the law, the restaurant's insurance company may not be required to pay Haskett a dime. The argument is that the employee was not encouraged or required to put himself in harm's way.

Legally, they're in fine standing. Ethics is a matter for Fratching. I'll leave the thread open in case someone has a comment for CS related material, but one Fratching comment and this will be closed, no warnings.

[One-Fang]

Well, from a CS perspective, you gotta admit beating the shit outta your girlfriend in the store then shooting an employee pretty much ranks up there on the 'sucky' chart.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I was reading some of the comments and people are vilifying McDonald's corporation and saying they'll never eat there again...the article is very clear that it's the insurance company that decided this, not McDonald's, and the franchise owner is on the employee's side. Further proof that people can't read, I guess. But then, if SCs can't read a sign, how can they be expected to read a two-page article?

[tropicsgoddess]

It's no surprise to me that the insurance company would try something like that.

[Nyoibo]

Many companies (including mine) have the "don't be a hero" and "don't defend youself" policies in place. I think it's complete BS.

Ok, I get the "don't be a hero" one, I may not agree with it, but I understand it, but can someone explain this "don't defend yourself"?

[Broomjockey]

"don't defend yourself"?

If you defend yourself, the situation can escalate. Someone waves a gun, you try something, you get shot, when the person only was trying to scare everyone. You take a swing at someone throwing things at you, and all of a sudden the person grabs a chair and lays in to you.

[ShinyGreenApple]

Pierced his AORTA?! That man's very fortunate to be alive; it's a wonder he didn't bleed to death. I feel very sorry for him getting stuck with all those bills, but all the same, I wish there were more people like him around.

[Mike Taylor]

It's no surprise to me that the insurance company would try something like that.

I wonder if the employee plans on taking the insurance company to court.

[draggar]

If you defend yourself, the situation can escalate. Someone waves a gun, you try something, you get shot, when the person only was trying to scare everyone. You take a swing at someone throwing things at you, and all of a sudden the person grabs a chair and lays in to you.

Pretty close. Our HR department even said that if an employee is being assaulted by a customer
1) The employee is not allowed to do anything to defend himself
2) Other employees are not allowed to even try to remove the employee from the situation - they are to "secure merchandise and themselves

But - we are also instructed to stand, when confronting a customer, in a completely non threatening way. Arms at our sides (not folded or in the air), standing back from the customer, in a relaxed position, that way there is no mistake that the employee is acting in a threatening manner in any way (I agree with this policy, BTW - act in a non threatening manner).

In the situation in the article, this was between two customers - not a customer and an employee and not a robbery situation. While I agree that the employee was in the right to help defend the lady, hopefully another employee was on the phone with 911 sooner than the employee got involved.

I wonder if the employee plans on taking the insurance company to court.

There is very little way to win with this. Insurance companies spend millions on their lawyers and will do everything possible to get out of big bills (and yes, my wife and I have personal experience with this). I'm sure they'll find something in 50 pages of 2 point font "fine print" that will show clearly that they do not have to cover it.

[blas]

We were always told at the gas station if a customer became violent or someone tried to rob the place, just give them what they want and let them go. Then call the cops.

[Kiwi]

I went to the mcdonalds corp site

on the contact us page they have a statement about it

http://www.mcdonalds.com/contact/contact_us.html

[One-Fang]

Major props to them. I suspect that this tidbit of information will be lost in the grand outrage of "McDonalds are evil" over this incident.

[Mr Slugger]

oh what happened to the good old days when a cashier could break someone's fingers slamming the cash drawer shut on someone trying to grab it.

Our policy is pretty much if they're after money don't be a hero give it to them and call the police, if they're out to hurt you drop them if you want and then call the police.

And no lie about 20 years ago (damn I'm getting old) the store I worked in had a code that meant basically "men come to the front armed" usually involved one of the local homeless people starting trouble. Mind you we never had to actually do anything. Just the appearance of 6 to 10 guys holding brooms, shovels, and whatever else they could grab running up to the front was enough to stop the person.