Posted on 02/27/2010 7:33:36 PM PST by Saije
The District's largest private hospital has fired 11 nurses and five support staff members who failed to make it to work during the back-to-back snowstorms that paralyzed the region earlier this month.
Dozens of staff members at Washington Hospital Center face internal investigations, union representatives say, and it is unclear how many employees will lose their jobs. On Friday, the nurses union, Nurses United of the National Capital Region, filed a class-action grievance with the hospital.
"I see it as so unfair and uncaring," said Shirley Ricks, a 57-year-old nurse who has spent her entire career at the hospital. "That's it. You call in one day in the biggest snowstorm in history and you're out. No ifs, ands or buts about it. . . . You go from getting a salary every two weeks to nothing. It's scary."
In a letter sent to the staff on Friday, hospital President Harry J. Rider sought to quell rumors that hundreds of people had been fired. He said he expects fewer than 20 people will be dismissed.
"Sadly, we did experience some issue with associates who did not show the same commitment as most of their co-workers to the community, our patients and their fellow associates. They are the few who turned away from their scheduled shifts and who tried -- and are still trying -- to turn the focus on themselves rather than the thousands of Washington Hospital Center workers who fulfilled their commitment to their patients and colleagues, and made it to work," he wrote.
Hospital spokeswoman So Young Pak said she could not comment on specific cases or personnel issues, but "we do not terminate any associates without a fair process. We always review the entire situation with the final decision based on all facts and circumstances."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
If he hadn't stopped global warming, this wouldn't have happened!
sarc/
Have any congress-critters been fired for snowstorm absences?
I had a day that there was no way at all I could have gone anywhere during that storm. Even with four-wheel drive, my truck wouldn’t BUDGE.
this is completely harsh and without mis-understanding.
I notice no government slugs suffered the same fate. They were paid to stay home. What is wrong with this picture?
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Notice how the managers are never the ones fired????
(yeah, they make it to work every say/rolleyes)
every say should read every day
Could you please translate?
I see two RED FLAGS here
Washington Post and “Union Representatives say...”
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there is WAY more to the story.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Its possible that these same people had wracked up enough occurences to get the boot when they missed work due to a snow event.
We all know that government employees will never be held to the same standard as private employees.
I have seen this same victim hood at my own job. People are fired for absences and the last absence is something like a family emergency, so they scream victim hood. I tell them they are not fired because of the latest absence it was the other 10 times this year that they failed to plan their absence. You know every time you just couldn’t see getting to work.
I am sure that these people who lost their jobs are the employees that were walking a fine line anyway and this was a perfect time to cull the herd.
this is so waaaaay harsh it’s unbelievable.
MD/DC Metro area NEVER gets THAT amount of snow......this is totally crazy these people are w/o soul and those MANAGERS should be fired
>>> “This seems a little harsh if these employees truly couldn’t get there.”
Especially the one nurse who, once she did make it in, spent the night at the hospital to ensure she wouldn’t miss her next shift. There’s dedication.
The article mentions inclement weather transportation for key staff, a policy also maintained by the hospital associated with my employer. The notice is posted via email at every hint of impending snow/ice.
If the person was perfectly willing to go in but couldn’t due to lack of transportation, that’s that. To fire them, and for “gross misconduct,” is way over the top.
Well I guess I’m gonna be the one here to disagree. I have worked in healthcare 38 years as a nurse, and folks it might be harsh, however when you see folks come in and someone else stays home that is harsh. I have driven in all type of weather to get in, to find someone who lives 3 blocks away from me stay home. Sick people deserve the best. My hospital will put us up in either available rooms, or local hotel rooms, but for every person who calls in, someone gets to stay and work a double. Imagine your mothers open heart surgery being delayed because someone stays home. Perhaps the trains were not running, however most of the staff showed up anyway. I have left for work at 2am and drove 30 miles at 10 miles an hour...but the patients come first.
Well, now I know better than to apply to Washington Hospital Center for work. There is no way on God’s earth I could have gotten through three feet of snow and high winds out to anything resembling an open road. Our neighborhood, 20 miles from DC, did not see a plow for several days. It would have meant a walk of mile after mile through hip-deep snow. No one here has the equipment to deal with that. I’d have lost my job, too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.