Some people will find any excuse not to work, with one woman claiming that she’s been so triggered by a Chucky doll she couldn’t return for two months.
The ’employee’ in question has a victim list as long as her arm. Debra Jones advertises herself as having major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and the autoimmune disorder vitiligo, as well as a fear of dolls.
According to her lawsuit, her new boss knew about her fear of dolls and decided to have some fun. Perhaps somewhat insensitively, they left a Chucky doll in her office. Her surprise at finding it apparently ‘ruined her career.’
What was initially intended to be a prank triggered PTSD in the employee. So, just as her training concluded, she called in sick. Jones stayed off work for eight weeks, claiming she was too scared to work. Even on her return, she continued taking more time off to treat vitiligo.
She claimed that the scare she got from the Chucky doll triggered the autoimmune disease.
Eventually, her employer had had enough of paying someone clearly more dedicated to taking time off than working, and gave her the sack. Now, she is suing, claiming unfair dismissal for discrimination.
Unfair Dismissal, or Unfit Employee
Debra Jones, the workshy employee, was eventually told she “cannot keep using her anxiety and emotional problems as an excuse.” She was dismissed and told that her performance was not up to scratch.
Rather than admit she wasn’t fit for the role, she played the victim yet again and claimed discrimination. Due to her continued absence, which she blamed on a Chucky doll prank, she had shown she wasn’t up to the job. The manager has asked her to leave.
As a last show of workshy money-grabbing, the ex-employee is trying to sue for emotional distress and discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The amount she is looking to claim is undisclosed.
I feel that even if the Chucky doll prank hadn’t been made, Jones would have found some other reason not to come into work. Some people are more interested in sick pay than gainful employment. For some, working the system is a full-time job.