 
rob_in_chatt
Premium
join:2004-09-17
Chattanooga, TN | comcast they loose either way. firing the employee over allegations from being investigated might be illegal in the state where this happened at. here in Tennessee, its employment at will, meaning you can be fired for anything at anytime without notice. | |
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| | ender7074
join:2006-11-21
Saint Louis, MO | Re: comcast OMG I almost spit my soda on the screen. Thats funny stuff!  | |
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| | | fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| Re: comcast Yea... funny.. hah hah... someone loosing their life is something to joke about.
I know this is a story where people are going to LOVE to eat up the opportunity to bash Comcast, well, because comcast is the cause of all evil in the world.
But in the end, someone lost their life. There are sick people in the world and that's a fact of life. We don't always know who they are.. when they will loose it and hurt someone, and it's not always easy to stop people from being freaks. But it happens.
I just don't know what's worse.. the guy that killed someone, or the people that make jokes about it.
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"Complaining is the least path of resistance for the self-reitchous and lazy ... those who also never take the time to point out a good fortune when the opportunity presents itself. It says a lot about one's moral character." - Unknown | |
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| | | | weedahoe
join:2003-09-14
Duluth, GA | Re: comcast im certain he was laughing at the picture ronpin posted. At least i HOPE it wasnt laughter about the nature of this topic. | |
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| | NYC Girl
Premium
join:2007-02-04
New York, NY | LMAOOOOOO,hillarios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
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biggbrother
Premium
join:2001-11-07
Providence, RI
| I highly doubt it's illegal. This is not a form of discrimination or other violation of basic tenents of the constitution of the Civil Rights Act. Comcast cannot fire someone because they are a Woman/Man, Race, Religion or Disabled, but they have the right to fire an employee they deem to be in violation of their own standards other than those listed above. Only a Union Contract could affect this, but it doesn't sound like there was a union.
Besides, this guy was a "contractor". he probably wan't even a regular employee and was paid as a contractor. Comcast could have just discontinued use of his services.
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"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." -- George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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Phattieg
join:2001-04-29
Jacksonville, FL
 ·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Re: comcast said by biggbrother  :I highly doubt it's illegal. This is not a form of discrimination or other violation of basic tenents of the constitution of the Civil Rights Act. Comcast cannot fire someone because they are a Woman/Man, Race, Religion or Disabled, but they have the right to fire an employee they deem to be in violation of their own standards other than those listed above. Only a Union Contract could affect this, but it doesn't sound like there was a union. Besides, this guy was a "contractor". he probably wan't even a regular employee and was paid as a contractor. Comcast could have just discontinued use of his services. First off, contractors don't just say "Hey, let me call Comcast and ask if they need an independant worker." They get hired by a Contractor company. The contractor company is responsible for drug testing, criminal background checks, etc. It is not up to Comcast to check these things, because it's in the agreement made with the contractor company stating the company will perform these duties for new employees. Second of all, it IS against the law to fire someone just for being a suspect. The company's only option would be to suspend the employee with pay, as it's unlawful to treat the person as guilty, unless proven in the court of law. I will say it's very unfortunate for this family's loss, and it does bother me that it happened. My heart goes out to the family who had to experience this unfortunate occurance. 
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SIPPhone/Gizmo # 17476200648 / PIMPNET Chatline / Ran by Asterisk & Slackware 10.1. | |
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RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
 ·AT&T Midwest
| Re: comcast "The company's only option would be to suspend the employee with pay"
Which is what any responsible company would do if a customer-facing employee--especially one who enters private homes unsupervised under the badge of the company--was a suspect in a murder investigation.
Someone dropped a large ball here, and Comcast bears some blame along with the contractor. The case cited here is the second murder.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
edit:
March 7th, @06:22PM
| Re: comcast Right you are Doc.
Both Comcast and Primer (or is it Prime?) were told by the CPD that the guy was a suspect.
The other thing is that the Illinois State Police Lab screwed up big-time too. It took weeks and weeks to get the DNA results from what is a capital case - it should have taken a few days.
I know a lot of women in my neighborhood who were scared #$%!less for weeks before the guy was busted for the other murder, out by Midway Airport. If the state lab and/or Comcrap/primer had practiced anything close to due diligence one woman might still be alive and the guy would have been busted much earlier for the Hyde Park murder. We have enough crime in this part of the city without the cable guy acting like a creep in a bad hacker (pun intended) flick!
These cable outfits are the worst.
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Illegitimati non carborundum
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Phattieg
join:2001-04-29
Jacksonville, FL
·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Re: comcast said by jsinaiko :Right you are Doc. Both Comcast and Primer (or is it Prime?) were told by the CPD that the guy was a suspect. The other thing is that the Illinois State Police Lab screwed up big-time too. It took weeks and weeks to get the DNA results from what is a capital case - it should have taken a few days. I know a lot of women in my neighborhood who were scared #$%!less for weeks before the guy was busted for the other murder, out by Midway Airport. If the state lab and/or Comcrap/primer had practiced anything close to due diligence one woman might still be alive and the guy would have been busted much earlier for the Hyde Park murder. We have enough crime in this part of the city without the cable guy acting like a creep in a bad hacker (pun intended) flick! These cable outfits are the worst. Well, how about you and Mr. Radio Doc take em to court and sue to find out. Comcast isn't going to have to answer to anything this guy did. He simply is NOT A COMCAST EMPLOYEE. Show me something that says otherwise, and I'll agree with you, but until then, the courts will answer this argument.
And as far as the cable outfits being the worse, this kind of crap could happen with anyone. Look at the Postal service, which is government ran, and think of how many postal workers have gone nuts and went on killing sprees. I won't waste text pointing out other companys employees who didn't deserve their jobs. If you want to blame someone, blame the crime lab for not proving the guy guilty BEFORE this happened, or at least detained him. If you're suspected for murder, they have the right to hold you. You can't deny the fact the guy should have been jailed before this all happened. Their was not enough evidence to support either the police taking the guy, nor the employer "legally" being able to force him out of work.
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SIPPhone/Gizmo # 17476200648 / PIMPNET Chatline / Ran by Asterisk & Slackware 10.1. | |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: comcast Well, there are so many murderers and jerks in Flori-duh maybe you guys are just used to it.
You stay in your little country and we'll live in the rest of the world.
Your attitude is inappropriate.
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Illegitimati non carborundum
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| moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by rob_in_chatt :they loose either way. firing the employee over allegations from being investigated might be illegal in the state where this happened at. here in Tennessee, its employment at will, meaning you can be fired for anything at anytime without notice. Police departments in Maryland put police officers on "administrative leave" whenever they discharge their weapons. They investigate and if all rules were followed, the guy goes back to duty. He is still paid since he is an "employee" of sorts.
Comcast should have suspended this guy especially for a something as serious as a murder investigation. | |
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biggbrother
Premium
join:2001-11-07
Providence, RI
| Re: comcast [BQUOTE=moonpuppy
Comcast should have suspended this guy especially for a something as serious as a murder investigation.
[/BQUOTE
He should have been fired. Police officers are a different breed. They have a strong union and many are protected under Police Officer Bill fo Rights laws in their state. They cannot be fired just for being charged.
Private citizens working for a private company who are not subject to a Labor agreement are fair game unless the reason is discrimanatory.
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"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." -- George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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| | weedahoe
join:2003-09-14
Duluth, GA | Re: comcast right you are but even 'contracted' means 'employed' and from that we derive the commonly used term as 'employee'. Specifics do not need to be clarified as they are blindly understood. | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
 ·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: comcast said by weedahoe :right you are but even 'contracted' means 'employed' and from that we derive the commonly used term as 'employee'. Specifics do not need to be clarified as they are blindly understood. Actually, contracted is a bit different than employed - even if it's an independent contractor directly contracted to the "employer".
The only entity to whom there's an employer/employee relationship is with the individual and the contracting company they are directly employed by. Said individual is *not* an employee of the purchaser of the contract services.
-tom
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"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: comcast said by bobjohnson :I'm not entirely sure from state to state but I do know that the cable company can keep a contractor from allowing a sub-contractor from working in their specific market... Because being a sub-contractor is exactly that, they are self-employed under contract with that specific company and that company or the cable company can change the terms of that contract whenever or however they want to... The people that should take responsibility for this is the contractor and not comcast.. Yeah, but Comcast has deeper pockets and is therefore more attractive in a "joint and several" lawsuit.
-tom
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"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis | |
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joako
Premium
join:2000-09-07
Gainesville, FL
| said by rob_in_chatt :they loose either way. firing the employee over allegations from being investigated might be illegal in the state where this happened at. here in Tennessee, its employment at will, meaning you can be fired for anything at anytime without notice. Did you read the article? The first victim was found dead in his house three days after the same contracter performed a house call! Its not a random murder the contractor was being investigated for.
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Am Heimcomputer sitz' ich hier, und programmier' die Zukunft mir | |
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rolande
Certifiable
Premium,Mod
join:2002-05-24
Powell, OH
clubs: | Re: comcast That sleeping Comcast subcontractor is looking pretty good right about now. Wouldn't you say so?
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Ignorance is temporary...stupidity lasts forever! | |
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zeebo
@dslextreme.com | Just wait, a press release from Comcast will emerge and your next bill will include a rate hike under the guise of "Keeping Our Customers Safer" | |
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| raddicott
join:2002-12-29 | Now that's Comcastic! | |
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pkarlos_76
join:2004-08-24
Edmonton, AB
| A Fiance sues? How can that be?
A question that no one has asked yet? But since when did a Fiance have rights to sue on behalf of their future wife? Not sure what the laws are on this, but a interesting question as to motive, and as to does he have the right to legally sue on her behalf?
P.S. Maybe they were living in common-law, but still what rights does a common-law husband have to a common-law wife of whom has died. If it were her blood family suing then I would see the logic. | |
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HyPeRbAnD
join:2006-01-07
Stow, MA | Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him Thats to bad for Comcast. They been getting a lot of bad press lately | |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| Re: Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him said by HyPeRbAnD :Thats to bad for Comcast. They been getting a lot of bad press lately
Yeah, that pesky press. Always out to screw someone by reporting to the public what they do. Shame, shame, shame ...  | |
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| | hottboiinnc
Kyle
join:2003-10-15
Toledo, OH | Re: Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him Bad Press is better than no press at all. | |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him said by hottboiinnc :Bad Press is better than no press at all. Generally I agree, but I'm trying to figure out a way for Comcast to spin this into a positive.
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Go Colts | |
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| | | | hottboiinnc
Kyle
join:2003-10-15
Toledo, OH
·buckeye cable
| Re: Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him The thing though is how would Comcast suppose to know that he was being investigated. Normally police departments do not tell you that sort of information due to the nature of the case; especially with this. Anyone could call up say they were from Comcast and they want to know information about anyone and then give a Business VoIP number and have it show as Comcast on caller ID or something that would like it was coming from them. | |
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detfan
Premium
join:2002-12-29
Garden City, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| I swear to god this world is nuts. People are just losing it. This here in MI is crazy with the Grant guy killing his wife and choping her up.
I SWEAR TO GOD, If anyone ever did anything like that to my SISTER, KIDS, WIFE, I would be the one going to prison, there would be no trial!!!!
Unreal the friggin morons on this earth that just have no value of a human life!!! | |
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| | | | | weedahoe
join:2003-09-14
Duluth, GA
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Watch him like a hawk then find a reason to fire him said by detfan :I swear to god this world is nuts. People are just losing it. This here in MI is crazy with the Grant guy killing his wife and choping her up. I SWEAR TO GOD, If anyone ever did anything like that to my SISTER, KIDS, WIFE, I would be the one going to prison, there would be no trial!!!! I agree, an eye for an eye is how I was raised and taught. I wont get into religion here but I also understand man was given authority over man, but when things hit close to home, an eye for an eye fits the situation best. | |
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See 8 replies to this post |
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hopeflicker
Capitalism breeds greed
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA | Someone is always... Looking for a way to make a quick buck regardless of the circumstances.
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Fossils, Not Gospels. | |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY | Re: Someone is always... Maybe she would settle if they give her a couple of year free service!
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. | |
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BabyBear
Keep wise ...with Night-Owl
join:2007-01-11
| said by hopeflicker :Looking for a way to make a quick buck regardless of the circumstances. I believe I've seen that bumper sticker on the back of Comcast's corporate fleet..  | |
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Mr Anon
@il.us | You knew this was coming We all knew it was coming and to a certain point they are right. You don't have to fire the person, just give them leave for a while and or restrict them to certain duties that don't involve contact with customers. | |
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast
| Re: You knew this was coming said by Mr Anon :
You don't have to fire the person, just give them leave for a while and or restrict them to certain duties that don't involve contact with customers.
And that would have been the proper response by Comcast. They could have protected themselves and their customers at the same time.
Whether the lawsuit will win against Comcast instead of just the subcontractor might hinge on a judge and what he tells a jury. Most likely Comcast will drag this out for a long time and then settle before a trial.
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My BLOG
My Web Page | |
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actor90
Phillies 2008 World Champions
Premium
join:2003-07-21
L.E.H.T., NJ
 ·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| Re: You knew this was coming Thats my guess, they will drag their corporate feet so to speak, then offer a, hopefully, decent settlement. I hope that settlement will include better supervision of their contractors and who gets to enter customers homes.
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My Blog on blogspot.com | |
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK | there are ways to handle this and CYA Just have him do a different type of work that doesnt involve housecalls. Simple. | |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| Re: there are ways to handle this and CYA said by inteller :Just have him do a different type of work that doesnt involve housecalls. Simple. I agree. Put him on phone tech support where he can drive people to the brink of murder on an hourly basis. | |
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Loker
Premium
join:2004-07-11
Fargo, ND
clubs:
| Someone might be responsible... You know if there were signs that he was unstable and the contractor was still letting him go into homes then fine sue away and I hope you win....but if there were no signs he was going to do this and no one could have stopped it then I see no reason file other than for money....
Also, I would think if any company is responsible it would be the contractor NOT Comcast.
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"While preceding your entrance with a grenade is a good tactic inQuake, it can lead to problems if attempted at work." -- C Hacking | |
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biggbrother
Premium
join:2001-11-07
Providence, RI
| Re: Someone might be responsible... said by Loker :Also, I would think if any company is responsible it would be the contractor NOT Comcast. Except for the fact that the police notified Comcast that he was a suspect.
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"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." -- George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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Loker
Premium
join:2004-07-11
Fargo, ND
clubs:
edit:
March 7th, @02:29PM
| Re: Someone might be responsible... said by biggbrother :said by Loker :Also, I would think if any company is responsible it would be the contractor NOT Comcast. Except for the fact that the police notified Comcast that he was a suspect. ah I thought the first woman was suing....I fail miserably...
but still I think it is the contractor who should be held responsible not Comcast....
Another thing....he had only been under investigation he had not been charged with anything so I still do not see how they are responsible (granted I would have suspended him until investigation completed but still...)
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"While preceding your entrance with a grenade is a good tactic in
Quake, it can lead to problems if attempted at work." -- C Hacking | |
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| rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT
| The reason to file suit against Comcast is simple. You can't put a corporation in jail for criminal negligence, corporations may have all the rights of "people" but when push comes to shove their is no one to put in jail for criminal acts by the company. Your only option in seeking justice against a corporate entity is monetary, and monetary damages are currently fairly effective means to get the corporation to revamp processes such that they are no longer sending murderers to the doors of customers.
And regardless of what you THINK is how it should be, Comcast has a LEGAL duty to not send murders into the homes of their customers, regardless who that person works for. If the worker worked for an independent contractor then Comcast is negligent for failing to enforce legitimate criminal background checks on service techs. You can't paint this picture any direction that would resolve Comcast from all liability, because regardless of the intermediary steps, Comcast is ultimately the entity sending that person to the door, and they bear the ultimate liability for the actions of those technicians even if they don't work for Comcast. Sure their can be others that are also negligence the everything boils down to Comcast asking for that murderer to go to that victims door, without Comcast the victim likely would have never allowed the murderer on the premises.
A responsible and not-negligent corporate entity would have required notification that the police were investigating either by the sub or the independent, and if he worked as an independent for Comcast they would have even more obligation to be aware of ANY criminal charges. At the first hint of a murder investigation a non-negligent company would have put him on paid administrative leave or found a way to fire him. (and don't think for a minute that whoever he worked for wasn't aware immediately because the police interviewed them in the course of the investigation) But of course you have a number of people on this board that don't believe in negligence, and think if it's an accident regardless of how it occurred that it shouldn't be punished.
I hope the victims family get a FAT settlement with Comcast which causes Comcast to stop hiring violent criminals such as this one apparently is. I also hope they take that FAT settlement and use it to ease their loss and hopefully to help others find justice against negligent corporate entities that believe that because they are a corporate and had a contract that it somehow supersedes the law. | |
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Loker
Premium
join:2004-07-11
Fargo, ND
clubs:
| Re: Someone might be responsible... said by rahvin112 :I hope the victims family get a FAT settlement with Comcast which causes Comcast to stop hiring violent criminals such as this one apparently is. how would they have known he was a violent criminal before this? and also Comcast has no real direct control over contractors....so I still say it is the contractor who should be held responsible not one of their customers....
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"While preceding your entrance with a grenade is a good tactic inQuake, it can lead to problems if attempted at work." -- C Hacking | |
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karlmarx
join:2006-09-18
Nashua, NH
·Fairpoint Communic..
| Being under investigation ISN'T a conviction until the courts decide that he's 'a threat', the guy has EVERY RIGHT to continue his job. What gives comcast, or anyone , the right to discriminate against anyone just because they are 'accused'. I thought this was the US, and you were innocent until PROVEN guilty. The fact that he was under investigation didn't make him guilty.
It pains me to see people post that comcast should have fired the guy. Sure, he was under investigation. But that's NOT A CONVICTION. Hell, I could accuse our favorite right wing nut job of something, and would that give me the right to terminate his employment? Absolutely not! So in spite of the fact that the contractor DID kill someone, I most certainly do not have the right to disipline him for some 'future crime' he might commit.
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Stick it to the MAN. Support your local torrent sites. Proudly providing 100mb of upstream for all your TV, Movie, and MP3 needs. | |
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See 6 replies to this post |
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miball
join:2005-08-17
Seattle, WA | Contractors You know working for a large corporation, we use contractors all the time. We can for any reason ask that the contractor, not come back to the company. Comcast could have done the same, if they had any clue of this before it happened. | |
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| scanpa
Premium
join:2006-09-06
Lebanon, PA | Re: Contractors Here in South Eastern and South Central PA. Out out sourced Contractors are required to be Fully Bonded. So The widow needs to sue the contractor company. | |
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gateguy
Premium
join:2001-02-12
Reisterstown, MD | What was he doing loose I did not RTFA, but if he was accused... what was he doing loose? Should he not have been in jail awaiting trial?
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Without data, it is just an opinion | |
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Cabal
Premium
join:2007-01-21
Boston, MA
| Re: What was he doing loose Being accused of something doesn't land you in jail. This person wasn't even accused, charged, or indicted, he was being investigated. Either way, it's the contracting company's job to screen their employees.
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Interested in open source engine management for your Subaru? | |
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UnrealArcher
join:2005-01-21
Scarborough, ON
edit:
March 7th, @03:05PM
| - Removing post, as Cabal said what I said, but beat me to the punch - | |
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tiebird
@wi.us
 from:
atangel
| simple legal safe solution all comcast had to do was put him on paid suspension pending the outcome of the trial
its totaly legal and covers their behinds
if he was found guilty, comcast has the right to seek the pay back to the day of suspension
and if he is found innocent, everything is nice and comcast might be out 10k but its a lot less than the liability of him killing someone else
unpaid suspension is also a possibility but creates liability for the company should he be found innocent for lost wages + interest. this is however not a given... depends on state law | |
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| JRozzelle
join:2004-08-14
Rahway, NJ
| Re: simple legal safe solution In this situation, doesn't Comcast have to contact the 3rd party company that is contracting him, and tell them to suspend him? As I understand it Comcast doesn't have control over the third party contractors on who they hire, fire or work for them. | |
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| jtel
join:2005-06-28
Bristol, RI | Re: simple legal safe solution -Sue Everybody They'll sue Comcast and the contractor. Gotta go where the money is.
Probably be settled out of court. Bad publicity and all. | |
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guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA
·epix
| Re: simple legal safe solution said by tiebird :
all comcast had to do was put him on paid suspension pending the outcome of the trial That is a possibility, if Comcast workers are unionized, and if this person was on the Comcast payroll, he was a hired contractor. IMO that does not apply under these circumstances.
The contractor who this person worked for, could, should have run a criminal background check on the people they hire.
I believe, had this been a one man outfit doing the sub work for Comcast, it would be Comcast responsibility to perform a criminal background check prior to employing contractors services.
Had this been done, there is a real good possibility two murders, may have been avoided.
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Its the Democrats fault. In fact it is the Speaker of House Polosi fault. Everything is the Democrats fault. Everything. Just like Everything was the Republicans Fault when they were in power. |
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Wrongful Death Suit Filed Against Comcast
