Man Sees Ghost of Paycheck

Man Fired for Seeing Ghosts

from The Des Moines Register

Can a worker be fired from his job because he believes in ghosts?

Yes, according to one Iowa judge — although, the judge says, such beliefs don't constitute worker misconduct, which would disqualify him from receiving unemployment benefits.

Wade Gallegos of Des Moines was fired in September from Neighborhood Patrol of Urbandale, a security company where he had worked for about five weeks. According to state records, Gallegos was in a guard house outside a gated community on the night of Sept. 11 when he reported seeing a group of apparitions standing near a car.

Gallegos summoned a co-worker and supervisor. While the two men were there, Gallegos said he still could see the ghosts, although the other men assured him they could see nothing. The supervisor saw no evidence of drinking or drug use; five hours later he fired Gallegos.

Neighborhood Patrol later challenged Gallegos' application for unemployment benefits, arguing he was guilty of misconduct.

Administrative Law Judge G. Ken Renegar ruled that "such beliefs do render the claimant unfit to act as a security guard. The employer cannot have security guards who see ghosts and apparitions and inform the employer and then the employer sends out the patrol cars."

But Renegar added that the "the real issue" was whether the sighting of ghosts was the sort of misconduct that disqualified Gallegos from receiving benefits.

Gallegos was awarded unemployment benefits. He said Tuesday he's still at a loss to explain the incident. "It was kind of like one of those out-of-body experiences."