I own an old bricks-and-mortar kind of business. Over the years, I’ve often tried to go a step beyond to help people out in hiring decisions, giving folks a second-chance. This “policy” (if you can call it that) has worked out well exactly once (but a spectacular success). The same policy has turned out quite poorly on several occasions, and twice, disaster.

We have an in-house software project.

One applicant (call him “Jake”) interviewed rather casually, in dirty clothes. His interview was great. His portfolio was very good. His references responded tersely. I hired him.

Jake excelled at the project, worked long hours, and the project made fast progress. He became project lead.

After a couple of weeks, Jake surreptitiously “moved in” and started sleeping at the office.

After hours there started to be problems. Damage to the walls (~a dozen holes). A tile in the bathroom shattered. One of Jake’s monitors shattered. Complaints from the other building tenants about screaming on the weekends (yes, screaming).

(He fixed the walls and replaced the monitor.)

The problem is this: during the day, when we’re focused on the software, he’s great. Really great. When he veers off into his personal past, or if he’s having a bad day, it’s a lot of unresolved parent issues and talk of witchcraft and auras. Then he tells you earnestly that he’s not crazy (he uses the word “crazy” a lot, actually).

The seemingly obvious solution is for him to move out. He could easily afford a local apartment. Judging from his responses to my suggestions (and our in-house experience) it may be difficult for him to keep an apartment. I have concerns that his odd behavior might put him in jail (he is also black).

Everybody was fine with him at the beginning. His work is still great. Now everyone has become apprehensive about him.

So my choices seem like A) Leave him alone, B) Move him out, C) ...I don’t know.