TMZ Being Sued Over Illegal Drug Use And Alcohol Abuse At Work
Have you seen the TMZ television show? Well, if Christian Shostle is to be believed, the people you are watching on television and in the newsroom are a veritable treasure trove of illegal drug use and alcohol abuse while at work. Shostle is suing TMZ for wrongful termination. Shostle claimed he went on medical leave because of stress and when he returned it didn't get any better. The reason? Co-workers "were using illegal drugs on the job, which was aggravating his stress condition and making his work environment harmful."
He complained to supervisors twice but instead of doing something about it, they fired him because his performance was "not up to par." Shostle worked for TMZ for 3 years.
30 comments:
This headline is slightly misleading but I guess it is more exciting than saying "TMZ Being Sued Over Wrongful Termination"
Interesting, but who can we trust to report on the situation if not TMZ?!
Oh please. He just couldn't get along with his co-workers. Why the hell would anyone care what other people are doing on the job? I used to do Oxys all day long at one of my jobs, and it wasn't a big deal. Hell, me being stoned all day was the LEAST of that hellhole's worries! If this dude has interpersonal problems, fine, but don't blame it on the drugs. Sometimes you have to be wasted to deal with work. Hell, the only reason I'm not still on Oxys is because I don't have to work any more. Douchebag ruining the fun for everyone, I hate tattletales and spoilsports SO MUCH.
...recalling a time when a coworker and I used to split bags of a hundred uppers and called them our vitamins...
I. Am. Speechless @ amanda rae's comments.
If I could drink at work, I certainly would.
@Babs. It's a regular thing for me.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel the need to narc on people because *I* have problems with my coworkers. If you have an issue with them, then handle the issue, don't play pissy-assed tattletale to get back at them. THAT is all I am saying. This guy just sounds like a tattletale, which is probably why his co-workers couldn't stand him. In the real world, sometimes you just STFU and turn a blind eye to shit like this, ESPECIALLY when it isn't hurting anyone, because you want to stay employed. Now, if it was something like sexual harassment, or anything that hurts someone, that would obviously be a different story, but if it isn't hurting anyone, why the hell would you care? This is just stupid and smacks of butthurt.
RocketQueen-
That's OK sweetie, the feeling is mutual.
Well, then, RocketQueen - guess I'm glad I don't work with you.
I think that if the company's rules are not against it...then whatever...as long as it doesn't get in the way of performing your task, i really don't care. It's not like they're curing cancer or working at CERN, it's freaking TMZ!
Who in the world takes drugs at WORK? Obviously besides Amanda Rae (how old are you?)... I can't get over this. What has this world come to?
@Babs - lol! No, I meant being shocked at the things amanda rae says is a regular thing for me.
I have never felt the need to take drugs at work, and sure as hell wouldn't brag about it.
Oops. Sorry, RocketQueen! TOTALLY misunderstood your point there! I feel much better now!
And amandarae, honey - I don't care how much you think you're hiding it. People know. Whether or not you think so, it DOES affect your work. Is turning someone in because they are doing something illegal and potentially VERY dangerous really 'narcing'? I think it's more like self-protection. I personally don't want you working on an assembly line with me (for example) if you're stoned out of your mind. AND I don't want you building a car that I'm going to be driving if you are so jacked up that you can't stand still.
Is this shocking? Sometimes I catch TMZ just to check out what jems the stoner/surfer dude throws out. Homeboy has smoked himself retarded.
not to mention how these people get TO AND FROM work all jacked up.
Well, that doesn't seem like the most professional workplace, anyway. But this guy sounds like a little bitch.
Personally, I think it all depends on the type of work someone's doing. Are your fellow graphic designers smoking cheeba? No biggie, IMO. Are your fellow EMTs doing shots in the back of the ambulance? Not cool.
I worked for a guy that actually hired his drug dealer to do "computer work"--that's when I knew I had to get out. Drugs do not belong in the work place--do it on your own time. I don't nbeed someone jacked up driving home in rush hour traffic.
Wow, am I relieved to hear this! I thought those guys I've seen on the show were just naturally idiotic.
I used to work with a guy who was very pleasant in the morning and very hostile after lunch. Of course he got high on his lunch hour and that made all the difference in his ability to work well with others. Did I work in a hostile environment? Yes I was so happy when I left that floor and started working with the people who knew there are certain types of behavior that isn't tolerable at the office. Hostility from illegal drugs is one of them.
There is no reason for him to sue. That's just ridiculous.
He should have just quit his job and gotten over it. Tough shit. I know it sounds harsh, but (no offense ENTY) people are way to quick to sue each other in this country.
I have a feeling this story is probably going to just disappear ..
I agree with Ayesha. Back in the good ol' days (college), I used to work at bar in which my boss would give me pot bonuses now and then. It was awesome for that time in my life, but not so much now.
this is tmz, people. of course they're stoned. they're no-talent hacks who bring us gems like "unburied the body" when they mean "exhumed".
People doing illegal drugs at work is a hostile work environment. It's drama- some people drink and get violent. I would complain to my supervisors also. If what this guys says is true, he needs to sue. He worked there for 3 years.
I am sorry, someone who is high and drunk cannot pull their weight around work. I worked in restaurants in college and it sucked when you have tables and your co-worker can't keep up and their people are asking you for drinks, tickets, etc.
Max Hodges, the 'Stoner Guy' is soo adorable, I'd watch him read the phonebook.
If you can't handle the "stress" of other people doing drugs/drinking at or after work, I recommend not going into the entertainment, fashion, or music industry. I'm not saying it's right, but it's reality. That's how a lot of those creative types roll. These industries don't attract the same kinds of people who practice medicine or fly planes.
Eh, I'll wait to hear what else comes out. I work in HR, and for *almost* every aggravated employee/ex-employee who comes in complaining about wrongful termination or hostile work environment, I interview coworkers and witnesses who tell a similar story...but with the complainer in the starring role as the shit-stirrer-upper. Also, I tend to learn about job performance issues and disciplinary histories that somehow didn't make it into the original story that started the investigation.
Everybody has their own version of the 'truth' of a situation that casts them in the best light possible. It's what I like to call the "It's Really Somebody Else's Fault" defense.
Not as cool a title as the "Chewbacca Defense", but I'm not about to filch from the SP guys--they scare me! :D
Also--I'm jaded.
yum yum surferboy. he is sooo pretty
geeez, whatever happened to 2-hour long lunch hours conversing with your co-workers over cocktails?
;) not that i'd know anything about that.
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