Provided by:  Jennifer Kirschenbaum, Esq.

May 9, 2017

 

Question:

Jennifer,

Thanks for Thursday's newsletter on inappropriate employees.  I am an office manager at a large practice and wanted to know what to do if the offensive individual is one of the bosses? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!
S

Answer: 

Yes, it gets a lot tougher when an individual in management, or even worse, the majority control person is the offender.  In the context of a medical practice, which is my typical client, where there are several partners and 1 is the offender, the majority should be taking steps to insulate and protect the operation from that person, and to make sure it is clear unacceptable behavior is not condoned. Failure to properly address could lead to an environment of pervasive permeating inappropriate conduct - your FoxNews situation.  This is of course a very hot area of concern and potential litigation nowadays. Plenty of lawyers trolling around for class action suits (which is not new news)...
  
The mistake is not taking action - not writing up - not addressing.  Sometimes as the practice manager, or part of the internal, when a manager is under scrutiny it is easier to outsource. Get counsel involved.  Push the operation to hold the manager accountable. Document remediation attempts.  

Certainly handle on a case by case basis.  Determining whether an event or series of events warrants termination requires an independent assessment.  If no other lesson of recent news - no one is above review.