Reportedly due to lower government/insurance reimbursement rates, the failure of the state of Tennessee to adopt the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, and overall better healthcare results, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has announced that it will be cutting a number of positions. Although this is always a difficult situation for each individual, Methodist has offered severance packages to at least some of the employees who are being terminated in an effort to assist in the transition of these individuals to new employment and to obtain legal releases.
It is always our advice to seek counsel before signing such an agreement to make sure you:
- fully understand all of the content, information, rights, waivers, and obligations contained in the agreement;
- are not entering into an agreement that could create potential future liability for you as seek new employment; and
- that you are not potentially signing away any rights or claims, which might entitle you to additional compensation.
In the past, after speaking to potential clients in these situations, we have discovered evidence of gender, race, and age discrimination as well as retaliation that may have led to why those clients and their positions were chosen for elimination. Likewise, in discussing past employment, we have discovered violations of the Equal Pay Act, when female employees were being paid less than their male comparators, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, when individuals have been told they were salary and thus did not receive overtime compensation even though they were really entitled to it.
For all of those reasons, it is advisable to seek a consultation with an attorney before signing any separation agreement. The peace of mind is well worth it!
If you are in such a situation, give the attorneys of Donati Law, PLLC a call today.
