Potential Threat at Work

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Mainah

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A guy applied for a job where I work. He's under qualified and not getting the job. He has sent a series of bizarre emails to all of us on the search committee that include angry questions about the status of his application, and hearty endorsements of a presidential candidate (this has no connection to the job). At one point he was sending us all 6-8 of these per day. Some included pointed questions about his application status, some were simply links to his political stories and videos.

I forwarded one way high up the internal chain of command and expressed my concerns. The guy hasn't made any threats, and my bosses are hoping he just goes away. But I have a bad feeling about him. Any thoughts or advice?
 
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72-cj5

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Can you carry at work? If not I'd be very careful and carry anyways I'd rather break rules and live then take a chance if getting into a situation you'd need a gun and not have one just cause of stupid company policy. I work construction and had to work in a bad part of Tacoma and so I carried every day there and it may be against the rules but I felt safe at least
 
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Mainah

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Before all this my employer sent a company wide email stating that no one can carry at work. Not an option. Been there for 15 years, love the place and my co-workers. I guess what I'm asking is if this guy's behavior is justifies going over three bosses heads and insisting for more action.
 
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Snyper

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Send them copies of the E Mails and have them get a restraining order if needed. If they don't allow weapons I don't foresee any change in that policy
 
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Mainah

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Again, no threats in any of the emails. Just varied stuff that included politics. But none of it was a rational response to a job application. The consensus so far is that this is a legit threat. Any other thoughts?
 
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Frank Ettin

Administrator
Some questions:

  1. How large a company do you work for?

  2. Is access to the premises controlled? With badges/key cards? Security guards? Are visitors logged in?

  3. Does the company have an in-house legal department?

  4. Is there a department responsible for risk management? Premises management? Company security? Loss control? Internal audit?

  5. Does the company have any relationship with local law enforcement?

I've seen this sort of thing come up. Some things that have been done --

  1. All contacts with the applicant should be documented, with complete records maintained.

  2. The local police should be notified and a complete report, including copies of all emails, should be provided to them.

  3. Existing security should be alerted to the possible threat. If there's a photo of the applicant, copies should be circulated. In the absence of a photo, a thorough description could help.

  4. A plan should be put in place for contacting keep decision makers and the police if the applicant is seen on the search premises or approaching anyone on the hiring committee.

  5. A restraining order is a good idea.

Those are all things I've seen done at large, well organized, security conscious companies when this sort of thing has come up. Most of the time nothing happens, and that's the desired result. Probably the most important things are (1) make a comprehensive police report to start a paper trail; (2) control access to the premises; and (3) have a plan if something happens.
 
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FITASC

New member
Has he actually MADE any threats or is he just really anxious to get this job and overly proud of his political stance?
You say "potential threat" - in what way? Is he going to blow up the place or kill someone if he doesn't get the job? Or are you possibly over reacting to a guy who is just a little weird?
 
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2ndsojourn

New member
Other than, and in addition to what you've already done, I'd send him an email stating that someone else has been selected for the position and thank him for his time. (Maybe sign it with a fictitious name in case he comes looking for someone, since your spidey sense is tingling.) Then there's no reason for him to contact you any further, and if he does, then it's time to sound the alarm.
 
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Mainah

New member
Or are you possibly over reacting to a guy who is just a little weird?
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Absolutely. He has not made any form of threat. There is a perceived menace in his communication because it is so strange, and completely unrelated to the job that he applied for.

Other than, and in addition to what you've already done, I'd send him an email stating that someone else has been selected for the position and thank him for his time.
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I volunteered to be his point of contact after a co-worker who was serving in that role expressed her concerns about his behavior. After trying to engage in a professional email exchange with the guy I informed my bosses that I was cutting off communication.

I was advised to block his emails, but I'm not crazy about that idea because I'd like to know if they move from strange to threats.
 
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Double Naught Spy

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From the description, I do not see this guy as a potential threat so much as just a wacko. There are some very weird people in the world who are perfectly harmless (as people go). Just because a person isn't normal doesn't make them dangerous, although that isn't an uncommon assumption that they are, which it sounds like is what has happened from the "consensus" mentioned.

Some people are just full of self importance or want of self importance and a need to express that.

Maybe it would just help that you stop stringing him along and tell him outright that he didn't get the job. From the sounds of it, you have been slow to inform him that this is the case. He has applied for the job and expects a response.
 
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kilimanjaro

New member
First thing you need to do is :

Set up a phone conference between you (since you volunteered), your HR boss, and this individual. The company already didn't hire him, but a visible effort needs made to give him some finality. Give an interview and the next day HR follows up with a decline to hire for reason of experience or a better candidate, something reasonable. You need to get out of the email business and let the bosses handle it.

Restraining orders and police can come later, it's not called for, yet. Proactive schmoozing to instill the idea it's over in a friendly way is called for.
 
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thallub

New member
Has the guy been informed that he did not get the job? If not someone needs to tell him: Then most likely he will just go away.
 
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Pahoo

New member
Choices !!!

Before all this my employer sent a company wide email stating that no one can carry at work.
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I would suggest that you exhaust every effort, to comply with your company's edicts. Might look deeper into this to determine that it is actually a company's procedure and in writing. After that exercise, you may have some hard choices to make. God has given you this life and you have the natural God given right of self protection. ...... ;)

Example;
The last company I worked for. had such a "written policy. No firearms of any kind,, on company property. We had a skeet and trap range on company property and we use to keep our shotguns locked in our trunks; "No questions asked". One day, a Supervisor and department manager reprimanded one employee. That employee reacted in a threatening manner and sent out numerous E-Mails. After review and consultations, he was terminated. More threats followed and directed at the department manager. The manager in turn, started carrying, on company's property. At the end of a staff meeting, the department manager was putting on his coat and out fell his "little Friend". The other staff saw it as well as the company's CEO. A meeting soon followed and the CEO asked, "Now then, you forgot to leave your gun at home and it was just an honest mistake; Right??? !!!"
No sir, I purposely brought it and carry it for protection from the threats I've been getting. The manager was terminated on the spot and escorted off the property by security. ...... :cool:

So it goes and;
Be Safe !!!
 
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smee78

New member
I would carry quietly, it better to carry a mouse gun then no gun at all. I would rather find another job if for some reason I was found out. I would not tell anyone I was carrying and that would be that, I love my family to much to take a chance on that strange guy that was so quiet and never bothered anyone before.
 
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357 Python

New member
This guy sounds like he may be a few fries short of a happy meal. If you have a friend who happens to be a Psychologist or Psychiatrist show him/her some of the E-mails and get their take on him. It sounds like this character is in need of some sort of treatment before anything bad does happen. Since a firearm is not an option at work what is the possibility of carrying a tactical folding knife or some other defensive weapon? A Cold Steel City Stick might look classy but can be used very effectively if the need arises.
 
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T. O'Heir

New member
If the guy has not made any threats, he has really done nothing other than be a nuisance. You have no option other than just telling the guy he didn't get hired. That's something most companies do not do any more. Even out of courtesy.
How'd the guy get the search committee's individual e-mail addresses? Just curious.
"...Any thoughts or advice?..." Never volunteer for anything. You not do time in a military? snicker.
 
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manta49

New member
What you are describing would not bother me, if he made actual threats i would report it to the police.

Can you carry at work? If not I'd be very careful and carry anyways
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I would not advice anyone to brake the law or their companies policies regarding firearms. There is a big leap from some dodgy emails and needing a firearm.
 
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