Workplace Violence: Defusing Dangerous Employees  A lawyer
presents guidelines to balance federal requirements with
employee protection to avoid lawsuits. By Michael P.
Cronin | Oct 1, 1994  Workplace violence is increasing, and it
demands careful attention, especially in light of the rights
afforded employees by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
We asked Joan Ackerstein, a lawyer with Jackson, Lewis,
Schnitzler & Krupman in Boston, for some guidelines:  What legal
responsibility does a company have to screen out hires who may
turn violent? If an employee gets violent, the company may be
sued for negligent hiring and negligent retention. "The former
says you should have known before you hired the worker that
there was a problem," Ackerstein explains. "The latter says
there were clues along the way." The employer's responsibility
varies with the job. For instance, if you're managing an
apartment complex and you're giving a superintendent keys to
people's homes, your responsibility is considerable. Sma