Workplace Anxiety

If you think your boss causes anxiety, be glad you don’t work for Bill Belichick. I’m Amy E. Feldman.

Rich Ohrnberger, a lineman for the New England Patriots, overslept once during his rookie season so he decided he was better off getting into a car accident as an excuse for his tardiness than facing the wrath of Bill Belichick. Who could blame the guy for being afraid, knowing the horror Belichick inflicts on the sleeves of every shirt he’s ever bought. Well, the guy he rear-ended to have an excuse maybe. 

But many want to know if they can sue their employer for creating workplace anxiety. The answer is you can, but it’s hard to win. To win a workers comp case for emotional distress, you’d have to prove you faced an amount of stress well beyond what other workers typically face, and people don’t generally win if the claims are based on excessive workload or minor arguments or rude behavior. But talk to the HR department and for sure, walk away before the stress causes you to harm yourself, your car, or others.