I’m sorry…
This post will be disturbing. But the issues can’t be ignored.
The family of John Barnett formerly a 32-year Boeing Quality Control Manager has sued Boeing for wrongful death. Mr. Barnett shot himself in his car. So how could the family thing Boeing is responsible?
Aside from being a Quality Control Manager, Mr. Barnett was a whistleblower. He raised safety concerns about alleged defects in jumbo jets. In 2010 when he transferred to Boeing’s SC plant he cited “quality issues, procedures that wasn’t being followed, short cuts that was trying to be taken,” according to his brother. Reporting them internally apparently didn’t work.
In response, Boeing allegedly subjected him to a “campaign of harassment, abuse and intimidation intended to discourage, discredit and humiliate him until he would either give up or be discredited,” it “intentionally gave Barnett inaccurate, poor job reviews and less desirable shifts” and “the company publicly blamed him for delays that angered his co-workers and prevented him from transferring to another plant.”
Barnett was eventually diagnosed with PTSD. After he retired in 2017 he sued Boeing for defamation. He also filed a whistleblower retaliation suit against Boeing under OSHA laws. He was in the middle of depositions on the OSHA lawsuit when the morning before returning to testify he was found dead in his car with a gun and a note. In a 2021 email to his counsel Barnett stated, “Boeing has destroyed my outlook on life”.
Let’s step away from the actual lawsuit now. This case raises several disturbing issues that include workplace safety, public safety, retaliation, whistleblower protection, harassment, bullying and mental health issues in the workplace.
The allegations if true, underscore that retaliation can cause serious mental health issues, up to and including suicide. While there may be a lot here that is outside of an employer’s control, employers CAN control how they respond — not just to complaints or whistleblowing, but also to mental health issues.
For the rest of us: An employee with PTSD and/or anxiety, depression or the like will often display signs. Managers at all levels — and co-workers– can be educated about mental health and wellness. Companies that do not take seriously the need for health work culture (which includes respect for employees’ concerns about safety, illegal behavior, harassment and more) let alone legal and regulatory requirements can find themselves facing the issues Boeing now faces and more.
Ignoring laws, ignoring the above issues will not make them go away. Addressing them early — or even before you see indications of them– is far less costly (and I’m not just referring to dollars and sense here) than allowing them to fester and escalate.
You can engage counsel proactively with far more positive, less costly less calamitous results, or you can wait and call your lawyer(s) when you’re already in trouble and deal with the devastating results then.
The choice is yours.
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Are you an employer interested in proactively addressing workplace challenges and company culture? Visit my website, http://www.janetteleveylaw.com to contact me for a complimentary 20-minute consultation.
Contents of this post are for educational/informational purposes only, are not legal advice, and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Consult with competent employment counsel in the state(s) in which you employ people with your specific questions.
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