Summary: An IT employee in New York faces a 30-day suspension for answering customer service calls in a Siri-style voice.
We’ve all had to deal with quirky, weird, or downright annoying coworkers, but Ronald Dillon has taken odd workplace behavior to a new level.
According to National Law Journal, Dillon, 67, insists on answering customer service calls in a robot voice. That’s right. A robot voice.
Dillon works at the information technology help desk at the New York City Health Department. He has actually been punished with a 20-day suspension in the past for this behavior. Now, administrative judge Ingrid Addison has recommended that Dillon receive a 30-day suspension without pay.
Dillon has worked for the health department since 1976, but was just recently transferred to the help desk. He defends his behavior by explaining he speaks like Siri to mask his thick Brooklyn accent.
Apparently Judge Addison was not amused by this explanation. She also noted Dillon has been cited for ignoring his supervisor and misdirecting calls, possibly due to a belief that Dillon “felt his skills and education to be superior to the requirements of his current job.”
According to DNAInfo.com, the health department must approve the judge’s disciplinary recommendation.
To hear Dillon’s robot voice, click the orange play button below:
Read about some other weird firing cases:
A discrimination suit claims that a man was fired for “flatulence.”
A Popeye’s shift manager was fired for letting a gunman get away with $400.
Woman sued after she said she was fired for her religious beliefs.
Source: National Law Journal
Photo credit: occupycorporatism.com
Sound clip courtesy of DNA Info