How Time Warner screwed someone over and how they got away with it.

April 16, 2002 6:39 PM

How Time Warner screwed someone over and how they got away with it. An interesting story of a case from hell. In the course of a just a few weeks, inter-racial dating (and eventual marriage) at Time Warner ruin a good employee's career, but Time Warner gets away with it for several reasons. Written by the jury foreman.
posted by mathowie (18 comments total)

Interesting story, but I'd really like to see the press coverage (if any) to get another side.

Incidentally, I don't think "right to work" means what he thinks it does. "At-will employment" refers to an employer's broad ability to fire an employee.
posted by rcade at 6:55 PM on April 16, 2002

I'm a little uncomfortable with the site owner's inclusion of the victim's phone number and his repeated insistence that we call him to get the full story, if we have any questions. what if he doesn't want to be bothered? at all hours of the night? by a thousand strangers?
posted by rebeccablood at 6:58 PM on April 16, 2002

Nice to know the folks in Clearwater are doing their bestest to reinforce unfortunate stereotypes about the South.
posted by donkeyschlong at 7:07 PM on April 16, 2002

I'm not one to believe every cry of harassment I hear, but this one seems to ring true to me, although that's just a gut feeling.If there's a person in an office with power who acts like an idiot, he tends to hire other idiots who act like he does, in my experience.
I just wish people would get over this kind of crap, and I wish that corporations would stop harboring nimrods like that HR representative.
posted by jonmc at 7:08 PM on April 16, 2002

I wish the website would provide more information. I believe that such a thing could happen, but I need more supporting evidence before I send them money.

He needs to give some detailed accounts of the court proceedings, for one thing.

And maybe a phone number to Bill's lawyer would be good.
posted by insomnyuk at 7:31 PM on April 16, 2002

Clearwater Florida. Isn't that the town the Scientologists tried to take over?

why yes. It is.
posted by delmoi at 7:55 PM on April 16, 2002

Hrm, that web page is pretty light on information. It would be nice if he actualy listed the 'questions' asked of him...
posted by delmoi at 8:01 PM on April 16, 2002

The difference between 'right to work' and 'at-will employment', to clarify Rogers's point. The former describes 20+ states that do not permit 'closed shop' unionization. The latter is a rather more complicated situation -- almost all states have some form of 'at will employment' but it may apply only to certain classes of employee, and may be supported by statute or case law. In most cases it's safe to assume your employer can fire you for any reason at any time.

This site is odd in a very fishy way; I'm not surprised people suspected a scam. (The disclosure, as rebecca notes, only makes things worse in another direction.) Many of the statements there, especially the ones naming specific individuals, may be libelous.
posted by dhartung at 8:25 PM on April 16, 2002

If he is just reporting what was testified under oath, how could it be libel? Also, that libel page you linked to seems to be talking about Canada, which has very different libel laws indeed.

Not to say TW couldnt harass him with meritless libel lawsuits.
posted by malphigian at 10:20 PM on April 16, 2002

I agree it is very fishy. I tried calling the number and got a modem dialing up, so either Bill was either trying to get online or it's a fake number. I would recommend that anyone wanting to donate verify that it's legit first.
posted by jaden at 11:50 PM on April 16, 2002

I just tried calling again and I actually spoke with him (or at least he said it was Bill German) and he said the story on greenjem.com was true. I asked him if he knew of anyone in the media that had done any research and he said no, he just heard this afternoon that it was even posted on the web. Is it real? I still don't know, but it seems to check out so far.
posted by jaden at 11:55 PM on April 16, 2002

The site's been updated, and it's looking more and more legit.
posted by NortonDC at 8:03 AM on April 17, 2002

Note to self: NEVER hire Bill's lawyer.
posted by mischief at 9:44 AM on April 17, 2002

why does bill still have a time warner rr email account?
posted by centrs at 12:29 PM on April 17, 2002

What the hell???

And furthermore, yes, that town is essentially owned by Scientologists. This is an extremely disturbing story.
posted by Settle at 6:44 PM on April 17, 2002

I can't find any mention of this case anywhere. Phone calls mean nothing. [See also: Kaycee Nicole.] I've been through seven years of Florida newspaper archives ... dunno. Put me on the doubter side.
posted by jillmatrix at 4:02 PM on April 18, 2002

dhartung - if it's real, then it's part of public record, and if it's part of public record, then it cannot be libelous. Bu thte question remains, is it real?

I google'd - "Bill German" Aol/Time Warner - and only get the originating website. Since AOL/Time Warner owns a whole lotta media outlets, who knows.
posted by Nauip at 7:37 PM on April 18, 2002

why does bill still have a time warner rr email account?

What, you want he should give up his broadband just because they fired him and he sued them? Fat chance, if he's anything like me.
posted by kindall at 8:12 PM on April 18, 2002