By Lynne Curry Question: We suspect one of our employees of using intermittent FMLA leave to cover her abuse of alcohol. We see a clear pattern. She takes leave two to three Mondays a month. Prior to her requesting FMLA leave, she claimed occasional sick days on Mondays. Other employees have noticed her leaving early on Fridays as well. With this fact pattern and given the … [Read more...] about What to do when an employee uses FMLA to cover drinking
Compliance
4-step plan to return overpayments
Do you have to return plan overpayments? The short answer is, yes. Of course, you must return money that isn’t yours. In fact, to be compliant with Medicare and most commercial payers, once you discover an overpayment, you’ve got to refund it within 60 days. That's the word from Michael J. Sacopulos, JD, founder and CEO of the Medical Risk Institute. "Sadly, I still speak … [Read more...] about 4-step plan to return overpayments
Telehealth policy to change after the COVID-19 public health emergency
The COVID-19 public health emergency has been extended to Oct. 13. Of particular interest to medical practices is the continuation of telehealth flexibilities, which will expire at the end of the public health emergency. US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra officially renewed the declaration in mid-August. The emergency declaration has been in … [Read more...] about Telehealth policy to change after the COVID-19 public health emergency
How to handle office romance in 2023
By Lynne Curry Three potential hot messes. In company Z, a senior manager considered his workplace a dating pool in which he fished. When he put the moves on a new female employee, the workplace grapevine ignited. In company Y, the head of marketing had serial crushes on one after another of the male management trainees. Because she was attractive and personable, several of … [Read more...] about How to handle office romance in 2023
Love contracts: Help for hot messes
They arrive at work separately. They never touch each other in your presence. Then, as you chair a meeting, you see his gray eyes seek hers out across the conference table. She returns his gaze; her eyes linger. Suddenly you know. The senior manager, despite all the sexual harassment seminars he’s attended, appears romantically intertwined with an accounting clerk. If you’re … [Read more...] about Love contracts: Help for hot messes
Learn about changes and updates to telehealth
There's a lot you need to know about telehealth. That's why Medical Office Manager is offering a webinar, Telehealth—What Managers Need to Know, on April 6. It's free to Medical Office Manager members. Presenter Jen Bell of Karen Zupko and Associates will give you the tools and knowledge you need to comply with new telehealth regulations. Meanwhile here is Jen's update on … [Read more...] about Learn about changes and updates to telehealth
Russian-American workplace discrimination: It’s a thing now
By Lynne Curry Question: Like many other employees that need highly skilled employees and want to diversify their labor pool, ours has hired several Russian emigrants. Other than coworkers complaining that these employees’ accents make understanding them difficult, we had no problems—until Russia invaded Ukraine. At first, nothing occurred that created worry. Many of our … [Read more...] about Russian-American workplace discrimination: It’s a thing now
High at work: Anyone else smell that?
By Paul Edwards More often than you would think, we get calls from managers wondering what they can do about someone whom they think is impaired at work. When that happens, we immediately go into crisis control mode because, well, impairment at work is never acceptable. In this article, we are going to discuss impairment and odors from the perspective of marijuana … [Read more...] about High at work: Anyone else smell that?
Florida’s new “Stop Woke” law impacts workplace training
By Mike O'Brien “Stop Woke” Act passes Florida Senate New legislation in Florida (HB 7) prohibits any teaching that could make students feel they bear “personal responsibility” for historic wrongs because of their race, color, sex, or national origin. But the legislation’s reach doesn’t end in schools. In the workplace, employment practices or training programs that cause an … [Read more...] about Florida’s new “Stop Woke” law impacts workplace training
Clocked out or connected: What you need to know about after-hours group chats
By Paul Edwards “Quick question…” Those two words have become increasingly popular as our near-constant attachment to communication devices blurs the line between work and personal time. Whether by phone, laptop, or tablet—via Slack, WhatsApp, or Google Chat—it’s easier than ever for teams to stay in contact after the workday is done. But employers need to be cautious … [Read more...] about Clocked out or connected: What you need to know about after-hours group chats