As part of an effort to provide the best possible care for patients, all parts of a health care organization – including management, providers and staff – must be vigilant regarding impaired providers within the organization. The issues are complex, however, with the organization’s obligations extending not only to an organization’s patients and their families, but to its visitors, the community and the impaired providers themselves.

The media is filled with stories of how workplace wellness programs have benefitted employers and employees alike — reducing healthcare costs, encouraging healthy behaviors and much more.  Often over-looked, however, are the legal hurdles involved in the design and implementation of these programs.   In this presentation, we examine the risks and benefits of workplace wellness in light of legal authority and rising healthcare costs.

The tension between the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act’s prohibitions on arrest/conviction record discrimination and the employer’s obligation to provide a safe workplace continue to escalate.  Organizations want to critique applicants for the likelihood of quality patient/client/customer care, but struggle with the application of the “direct relatedness” test.  This presentation is a discussion of the legal pitfalls, court decisions, and experience of those dealing with these issues daily.

Being aware of court decisions with implications for employment is an important part of keeping our clients informed, especially when the cases are unusual and unexpected. This presentation takes a look at the strangest court decisions, filings, and authority in recent years.