Serious misconceptions about the legal system are among thehidden stressors that impose a high cost on people and theirworkplace. The stressors arise in workers’ lives away from the job,but come to the job with them. What happens outside takes a heftytoll inside. Every manager grappling with human resource issues, ortrying to administer benefits programs, deals with such problemsdaily.

Hardly any of the external stressors is more intense than thosethat lay siege to an employee involved in litigation. A marriagehits the rocks, and negotiations over everything from child custodyto division of property to alimony to debt responsibility shovesthe employee into an emotionally tough court battle. A worker’steenager wrecks the family car while speeding, injuring the driverof another car, and the employee begins the arduous trek throughthe legal system. The list of crises could go on and on.

The employee arrives at work daily ignited with tension, andworks hard to control it. But a supervisor notices the symptoms ofpresenteeism. The worker is physically present, going about jobfunctions mechanically and usually inadequately because the personis not mentally or emotionally focused on the job. Another memberof the team is unusually irritable, and sets off an earthquake ofconflict that threatens the operations of the entiredepartment.