In an interview with Healthcare Risk Management, the firm’s Bill Chamblee notes that unless state law says otherwise, a hospital should be able to legally require employees to wash their own scrubs. The publication reports that a Minnesota nurse has refused to follow his hospital’s policy on taking scrubs home and laundering them, rather than using hospital-provided scrubs. The hospital fired the nurse, who is alleging whistleblower retaliation.
“People forget that both sides can end the relationship and you can end it any time you want, as long as you don’t violate federal or state law,” says Mr. Chamblee. “The hospital can follow lots of employee handbook procedures, but the bottom line is that the employer can establish conditions of employment and require employees to comply.”
Read the entire article in Healthcare Risk Management.
Attorneys: William H. Chamblee
