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 ...
This bothers me (the post, not the false information therein). You obviously have some sort of experience with the organization, but the implication (explication?) is serious and can be validated with a 20 word post by you. Where is it?
WarshPost has a history of just making stuff up, or opinionating, but I was there for the weather. Many others commenting on this thread weren't AND so far I believe I am the only Freeper here who has actually USED THAT HOSPITAL.
There are stories I could tell you about the problems, but there's a reason those employees became unionized.
Regarding what WHC spent on "digging out", they still didn't pay any taxes to use to dig out everybody else. Everybody else, though, paid taxes that dug them out.
You are being purposefully obtuse. I take it you are part of WHC or Med Star management, right? Or are you part of their legal team.
Failure to have a suitible plan in place is a problem that lies specifically with management.
You'll have to direct your querry to God when it comes to why the storms happened.
I am not surprised FOX and WarshPost might well come up with something different.
Now, let me say this about that, just because news media derive two different stories doesn't mean there are two different stories. I think you are too accepting of what you are allowed to hear.
As for the taxpaying aspect, I suggest you repair to an institution willing to explain the legal and real aspects of a "non profit" status.
You know, I've been a Freeper for a long time, and I've seen the tidal shifts in opinion amongst the membership. But I don't think I've ever been called out by someone so completely bereft of any pertinent knowledge in the history of FR threads. I used to learn from people here; now I have to call out imbeciles like you.
Hmm ~ I’ve been here since 1996. You’re just a newbie and what a mouth eh!
It is highly unlikely that the nonprofit status of an institution IN DC is different than that of such an entity in Virginia.
There simply hasn't been all that much time to pass for such basic legal understandings (and the laws associated with them) to diverge to any great degree.
Which is to say I'm more than familiar with non-profit organizations in Virginia, in DC and as understood by federal agencies that have to be concerned with such matters (IRS and USPS).
So, what is it you want to know? Not that any nonprofit automatically gets a tax break in DC, but WHC has been around for a very long time ~ even sits atop land I'd suspect a title review would show is LEASED for some ridiculously low sum from the US government.
Over the years the tax depletion engendered by acquisition of exemptions from property tax by nonprofit organizations located in DC has been a hot topic.
Everyone who's lived here more than 20 years would understand the question.
I fear I have been converted to the point of view that in DC none but religious institutions should be exempt from taxation. All the other nonprofits gain "value" from the address and siting and should be taxed just as if they were "for profit" stock corporations.
Suffice it to say, regarding going to WHC for service, we ain't gonna' do it again ~ no how, no way, and management there was remarkably unresponsive.
BTW, I am unaware of any anti-nepotism law that reaches out to private corporations. Maybe you are aware of one. I simply think it interferes with the provision of service to the paying customers more often than it helps in that provision.
My argument was that a take over by a private for-profit company would take form rapidly with the immediate termination of managers with personal relationships with other managers, or the staff.
Do you disagree? Humana has taken over other operations ~ certainly they must have a record.
You're now trying to lump philosophical thoughts into an incoherent attack on WHC. WHC has existed for over 50 years; any and all "profits" derived from the services it provides are by law pumped back into the operation. There is no such thing as a tax break for an entity such as WHC. You're accusations are shameful. You have no clue; go ahead and be pissed off, but don't pretend you know anything about how the world works. Before I go, can you please hook us up with the nepotism charge you asserted? It's the least you can do. Or were you just lying?
My point concerned the inherent inequity of the WHC complaining about its employees getting to work while WHC is located on streets that were cleared first ~ at the expense of those employee's tax dollars.
In the future the taxpayer's streets should be cleared first and the freerider's streets, even if they're designated emergency routes, should be cleared last.
That WHC doesn't pay property taxes is something that the DC city council can change and they should do so.
BTW, any corporate entity with 3900 employees in a single building complex inevitably has more than its fair share of romantic and blood tie relationships. I have always found them to be destructive of good management practices.
Hey, wouldn't have to be Humana taking over WHC and firing folks involved in such deals. I could take the place over and do the same firings. Management would improve Fur Shur.
Sorry for the late reply. The streets at WHC (including First Street running through the campus of the VA and Children’s) were plowed using private plows at WHC expense. Those efforts (along with others during the storms) cost WHC $2.5 million.
DId VA do that one perhaps?
All they had to do was clear a path to North Capitol where DC ploughed but I don't recall how far.
Still, Metro wasn't running buses during that period.
BTW, I had no idea the Hospital Service Road was also called First Street NW.
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