Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190127
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The three employees, who were not identified, were suspended for three days without pay and were placed on 12 months' probation, said Mike Harman, president of MW Manufacturing.
After an internal investigation, Harman said it is believed the three employees fastened the dog collar around the leg of their co-worker, who was told it was part of a ``lie-detector test.''
The collar was then activated to shock the worker, who is mentally handicapped, when he didn't give correct answers, Harman said. The employee was not seriously injured and took no time off from work, Harman said.
Harman said the four employees have known each other for years, and the incident - which took place last week - was not motivated by anger or animosity.
``I think it was their idea of a practical joke,'' Harman said of the disciplined employees. ``But I hesitate to call it that, because there's no place for that kind of thing here. It's hard to believe adults would act like that.''
The four workers involved all were hourly employees, Harman said.
``I think their intentions were harmless, but they didn't consider the impact of the situation,'' he said. ``We have a work force that has worked together - that's our success. Clearly, this is an action we don't condone and simply won't tolerate.''
Harman said he was not aware of any morale problems associated with the incident; but because news media had been informed, he said, then ``obviously someone's upset.''
The Roanoke Times & World-News learned of the incident through an anonymous phone call from an MW worker.
Two relatives of the employee who was the target of the incident said Wednesday that they had not decided whether to seek legal action.
MW Manufacturing makes vinyl windows and is Franklin County's largest employer, with about 1,200 workers.
by CNB