Mental health concerns? Focus on behavior.

• Position: Case study

Worried that an employee may have an undisclosed mental illness that's causing problems at work? Don't treat this person with kid gloves or automatically suggest that he seek mental health care.

Instead, focus on the problematic behavior. Federal law says you are free to discipline anyone who breaks your company rules, even if you suspect unresolved mental health issues may be involved.

Case in point: A restaurant worker had frequent run-ins with co-workers over stories he told about being a spy and being controlled by a Satanic cult. Co-workers said his behavior made them fearful.

The company terminated him...