Fired... for seeing ghosts

2005-11-12 09:15

Des Moines - A judge ruled that a former security guard who was fired for seeing ghosts cannot be denied unemployment benefits.

According to a court ruling released this week, the former guard's allegation of apparitions does not constitute misconduct.

The issue started on September 11, when Wade Gallegos alerted his supervisor at Neighbourhood Patrol of Urbandale that ghosts were haunting a neighbourhood he was guarding.

The supervisor arrived at the scene, where Gallegos showed him where the ghosts were still apparently standing.

The supervisor claimed he saw nothing and fired Gallegos five hours later.

The company found no signs of drug use or alcohol.

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

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

However, the judge ruled, seeing ghosts is not the type of misconduct that can disqualify Gallegos from receiving benefits.

- AP