Laid-Off Worker Attempts Suicide

Everything in Perspective: It probably was a matter of time before reports surfaced of layoff-induced attempts of employee suicide. The first reported account arose last week when a worker for EDS Australia tried to take his life after being sacked. Quoting an EDS spokeswoman, the November 20 report in The Australian newspaper says the employee “had been notified of redundancy.” He reportedly was taken to a hospital and is said to be recuperating. EDS says it took “immediate measures” to help other workers cope with the episode, though the company declined to be specific. EDS is in the midst of being acquired by Hewlett-Packard Co. in a move that could result in roughly 7.5 percent of the combined workforce losing jobs during the next three years, the newspaper says.