Ten myths about the Stark statute debunked

The Stark statute was enacted in 1995, but final regulations were not published until January 2001 and even then did not address all the Stark exceptions. Many people are confused about how to apply the exceptions and what the Stark statute means. This article identifies 10 of the most common myths about Stark and explains and corrects the misconceptions.

Employee discharge liability: the straw that broke the camel's back

Employers are frequently confronted with workers who do not perform adequately. It is important to document and communicate dissatisfaction with an employee's performance as failings become evident. Efforts at remediation of the deficiencies must also be recorded. This article outlines the pitfalls of employee discharge without such documentation and strategies to avoid litigation and achieve an equitable outcome for both parties.

Developing personnel policies to keep you out of the courtroom: the role of the office policy manual

Employment liability has become an important issue for all enterprises. Medical practices often are not aware of the impact their policies and actions may have on their employees and the liability that may result. This article surveys this important area of human resource management and provides some guidelines to avert potential pitfalls.

Medical restrictive covenants in Illinois: at the crossroads of Carter-Shields and Prairie Eye Center

This article examines the history, development and treatment by Illinois courts of medical restrictive covenants. The authors highlight two recent cases from Illinois, one from the Supreme Court and the other authored by an appellate court panel. The article concludes by providing not only a forecast of how such covenants should be treated by Illinois state courts in the future, but also a pathway for the expectations of health care practitioners who wish to use restrictive covenants in their employment relationships with their colleagues.