Schizophrenic and extremist
racquel
Posts: 23 Forumite
I have a member of staff on my team who is schizophrenic, he has recently admitted to another member of my team that he hears voices that tell him people are talking about him and to go and kill them, he is also a Muslim and prays constantly out loud at work, it's a low level murmuring but we've all heard it and he says he is praying, it's quite disconcerting, especially as he has expressed views on the recent terror attacks and the Manchester bomber as being ok because they did it for something they believed in, my team member told her mother who advised her to go to hr because if he does do something then they could have stopped him , however she is scared he will lose his job and get will know it was her, I could go over her head but I am not sure what hr would actually do, does anybody have any advice?
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This isn't an HR issue, it's a national security issue. You must report it for investigation.
https://www.gov.uk/report-suspicious-activity-to-mi50 -
I have a member of staff on my team who is schizophrenic, he has recently admitted to another member of my team that he hears voices that tell him people are talking about him and to go and kill them, he is also a Muslim and prays constantly out loud at work, it's a low level murmuring but we've all heard it and he says he is praying, it's quite disconcerting, especially as he has expressed views on the recent terror attacks and the Manchester bomber as being ok because they did it for something they believed in, my team member told her mother who advised her to go to hr because if he does do something then they could have stopped him , however she is scared he will lose his job and get will know it was her, I could go over her head but I am not sure what hr would actually do, does anybody have any advice?
Sounds like a police issue0 -
I think you need to separate out the different issues.
- The fact that he parays aloud / talks to himself is something you can address as a workplace issue, to ask him to refrain from doing it out loud as it is distracting to others. (it would also be appropriate for HR to make sure that there is somewhere that he can pray, if he is observant and so needs to be able to pray at the required times)
- Do you know for certain that he has schizophrenia? If so, then you can riase with HR your concern that this is not currently well managed . It's a health care issue so there are limits to what an employer can do.
- If you think that he is making genuine threats that he might harm others (as opposed to saying that he can understand why others did so, or defening their actions) then it becomes a safety issue and is absolutely something which HR need to know, and potentially also the police. Simialrly, if you have reason to believe that he belives people at work are talking about him and that the voices he hears are suggesdting that he hurt or kill them, then you ned to raise that issue.
That said, most schizophrenics, and indeed most people with mental illnesses, are no danger to other people.All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)0 -
He shouldn't be praying in the office.
Can they not provide a prayer space for him so he can take (unpaid) prayer breaks?
As for his extremist views, then this is a matter for the police. I would be reporting anyone who voiced comments justifying such vile acts of terror. Time to document anything said as evidence.Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
Absolutely needs to be reported to police. It's possible he's saying things deliberately just to wind people up and that he has no intention of doing anything. It's equally possible that he means every word of it and will carry it through.
Imagine how you would feel if nobody acted on their concerns and he did act? Let the police and security services investigate.0 -
Report it and focus on the side of it being a psychological concern where there is real risk to himself and others more than any religious issues, if they want to pray at appropriate times that's fine, but constant talking to himself is possibly reenforcing a certain mindset over an over.
Be careful claiming schizophrenia without proof, at the same time the one thing above all that can't be left is hearing voices hearing he has to go kill people. That admittance is a real concern, progressive internal isolation and reenforcement precede extreme action, if they don't need help and they get it no harm done, if they do need help already and they don't get it, it's an unlikely but possible news headline. They need help.0 -
He is definitely schizophrenic, I am his team leader and I was made aware of it when he had 3 months off when he had his last episode ( about 4 years ago) he is overdue for another he has been having them since a child and is open about it, he has told several people he is schizophrenic and suffers psychosis, so pam not just assuming he is, it's common knowledge to a fair few people.
As for the providing a prayer room that is not feasible because he is chanting/ praying CONSTANTLY not specific times of the day, ( we work in a factory not an office )any time he is not talking to someone he is reciting the koran
He has told her that the more he chants the more he hears the voices. The girl who he said the above comments now says he said that the people who commit terror acts are doing it because when they die they will get all the virgins they are promised.
We have reported all this now to the HR department and now they need to discuss what to do next.0 -
Sorry racquel, but don't abdicate responsibility for this to other people. From what you say about this individual, the concerns need to be reported, and reported now.0
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