topic Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat in Community Chat

Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

KingstonsMom — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:26:21 GMT

Verizon is facing the wrath of cat lovers for its decision to suspend a worker without pay for using the company's equipment to rescue a feline stuck atop a utility pole in Philadelphia.

The employee, Maurice German, violated Verizon's safety rules when he used a Verizon "bucket" truck's hydraulic lift to save the cat, "Princess Momma," earlier this month, the telecommunications company said.

The cat's owner had called the fire department, animal rescue and the telephone company before German, who was working nearby, responded to pleas that he help the kitty, who had been stuck for 12 hours, one resident told CBS Philadelphia.

Cat stuck at top of telephone poll for about 12 hours.

Although German was heralded on social media for his goodwill gesture, Verizon said it suspended him for three weeks without pay because he violated the company's safety rules.

"For safety reasons, our trucks and related equipment are not intended to be used in the area in which he was operating, specifically around electrical wires," a Verizon spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch. "While our actions may not be popular, he potentially put his life and those around him in jeopardy."

Verizon said it had made a donation to Pennsylvania Animal Rescue & Protection, or SPCA, to show its support for animal rescue groups.

The gesture did little to appease customers and animal lovers on social media, with the company called "heartless" and worse in a multitude of tweets online.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/verizon-suspends-worker-who-rescued-cat-telephone-pole/

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

chrystaltree — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:32:10 GMT

They did the right thing. What the heck was he thinking? He should be glad they didn't fire him. He misused company equipment and put the company at great risk if he's injured his self or someone else. It was a liability issue.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Puppy Lips — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:44:58 GMT

I think Verizon did the right thing as well. However, three weeks without pay is a bit harsh. One week would have been better in my opinion.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

sidsmom — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:47:11 GMT

I totally agree with Verizon.

He could’ve killed himself...and others.

The cat was not in immediate danger.

The proper people were called to remove the cat.

Stuns me people are blasting Verizon (Twitter).

SMH.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Ketra — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:49:51 GMT

No good deed goes unpunished.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Phantom41 — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:59:29 GMT

Way to go Verizon! You could have had good free publicity but no, you had to go and do the "right" thing. Remind me to never use Verizon!

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Montana — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:04:39 GMT

Obviously, he did not think of all the things that could go wrong. He responded with his heart.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

x Hedge — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:05:55 GMT

A friend of mine trims trees around electrical lines for the power company. Some of those lines are old and damaged, some are live wires. It was very foolish of him to do this without any training or knowing which are service lines vs terminals.

He's lucky he only lost pay.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Ketra — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:18:06 GMT

@ Montana wrote:
Obviously, he did not think of all the things that could go wrong. He responded with his heart.

@ Montana I’m glad he did it and didn’t lose his job. He weighed the risks and thought he could safely rescue the cat. Good for him!

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

GenXmuse — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:21:28 GMT

I wonder if it were your own cat would you have told him not to because it wasn’t safe?

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

CrazyDaisy — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:26:25 GMT

@GenXmuse wrote:
I wonder if it were your own cat would you have told him not to because it wasn’t safe?

That is why companies have very specific safety policies, so the employees can fall back on "company policy".

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Sweetbay magnolia — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:26:26 GMT

No. Live electricity is no joke.

I'm sorry. The cat gets up there, it gets down with it's own claws. Or by an authorized party.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

sidsmom — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:27:50 GMT

@GenXmuse wrote:
I wonder if it were your own cat would you have told him not to because it wasn’t safe?

Of course, I would.

Anyone who has knowledge with animals can see the cat is safe,

where it is. If the owner truthfully called emergency,

Animal Control/Emergency would've been there shortly.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

x Hedge — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:31:39 GMT

@Ketra wrote:
@ Montana wrote:
Obviously, he did not think of all the things that could go wrong. He responded with his heart.
@ Montana I’m glad he did it and didn’t lose his job. He weighed the risks and thought he could safely rescue the cat. Good for him!

WHAT?

You obviously never had to deal with OSHA.

I guarantee Verizon is currently preparing mandatory updated safety inservices for all field staff, and these inservice will be conducted and documented ASAP.

and

Those poles and power lines are property of the power company. If anything had gone wrong they'd have gone after Verizon too.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Ketra — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:34:59 GMT

@GenXmuse wrote:
I wonder if it were your own cat would you have told him not to because it wasn’t safe?

@GenXmuse I wouldn’t want any scared creature up there for 12 hours. I would have done exactly what he did. Policies are policies and humans are humans. We have to make important decisions and sometimes they have repercussions.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Sweetbay magnolia — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:35:48 GMT

Like electrocution.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

nomless — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:36:01 GMT

My question is: Why didn't Animal Rescue respond?

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

Ketra — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:39:38 GMT

@x Hedge wrote:
@Ketra wrote:
@ Montana wrote:
Obviously, he did not think of all the things that could go wrong. He responded with his heart.
@ Montana I’m glad he did it and didn’t lose his job. He weighed the risks and thought he could safely rescue the cat. Good for him!

WHAT?
You obviously never had to deal with OSHA.
I guarantee Verizon is currently preparing mandatory updated safety inservices for all field staff, and these inservice will be conducted and documented ASAP.
and
Those poles and power lines are property of the power company. If anything had gone wrong they'd have gone after Verizon too.

@x Hedge I’ve dealt with OSHA my whole career. We are still humans and have a right to make our own decisions and deal with the repercussions. I would have done exactly what he did and suffered the consequences.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

x Hedge — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:41:38 GMT

Cats can climb up but not down because their front wrists don't rotate as yours do, or as a squirrels do. If they can't walk down they have to jump, or wait for rescue.

Re: Verizon Employee Suspended For Rescuing Cat

SilleeMee — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:47:48 GMT

I saw a cat atop a telephone pole in my back yard. I don't know much about cat behavior but I assumed that the cat could climb down just as it could climb upwards. That cat was up there for many hours and I was getting nervous. Finally I saw it climb down all by itself...TG.