Employment Laws in Health Care

Health Law, Regulatory Consulting, and Civil Defense: Employment Laws in Health Care

On the evening of August 11, 2026, we had the privilege of sponsoring another Capital Medical Society (CMS) Continuing Medical Education Presentation and Dinner.  In attendance from Howell, Buchan, & Strong was Attorney John Wilson, Attorney Joseph DeFelice, and paralegal’s, Elspeth Newsome, Crystal Sanford, and Shaila Washington. It’s always a pleasure to talk to our local physicians and learn about current issues in healthcare.  The Executive Director of CMS, Tom Block, and his staff are always helpful and pleasant.

The Main Event

The main event was a presentation by Jarrod C. Robertson, M.D., Division Chief Surgical Oncology, Assistant Professor at Florida State College of Medicine, and a Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Physician Partners specialist.  His presentation was Updates in Colorectal Cancer and the Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery. Two (2) interesting points he made were that colorectal cancer is now happening more in younger adults than previously and the advancements in robotic surgery being less invasive for the patient. The patient is ambulatory and eating solid food the day after robotic surgery. There are amazing advancements in healthcare for patient safety and wellbeing.

John Wilson’s Presentation – Signing Contracts

John presented this time on employment healthcare laws and here is a summary of what he said. His presentation included information from the viewpoint of the employer and the employee.  There are higher stakes in healthcare related to employment laws, including but not limited to:

• Licenses
• Credentialing
• Insurance Boards
• Business Reviews
• Malpractice allegations

John jokingly pointed out that employment laws are not taught in medical school and understanding those laws can be quite difficult and time consuming. He asked the audience the following questions which you should consider asking yourself as well:

• Who has signed an employment contract? About half of the room’s hands went up.
• Who is confident that they know what’s in that contract right now?  A few hands went up.
• Who is brave enough to admit they still had questions when they signed the contract? Only a couple hands went up for this question.

He provided some examples of employment gone wrong such as contracts that allowed for unilateral salary changes, egregious non-compete conditions and contracts that are too simple to offer protection or too complicated to be understood. All of these situations are destined for controversy.

Managing Employees

“And for those of you offering contacts, you have the pleasure of managing employees!,” said John. He went on to say that “Good employees are the lifeblood of any business, but bad employees can be equally devastating.”  He asked the audience if they have ever had to deal with a difficult employee termination. Firing employees is a legal minefield, but we can help you through the process.

“If you have listened to everything I’ve said so far and believe none of it is anything you have to worry about – no firing or hiring decisions, no contract worries, and not a care in the world. Please take a moment to really reflect on whether you are the bad employee your boss is dreading.” If you are, you should consult us to plan an exit strategy.

John said you need a contract that protects your interests, keeps everyone out of trouble, and avoids lawsuits.  Contracts are more than just a formality.  Attorneys at Howell, Buchan, & Strong have experience writing and reviewing contracts and can assist you in making good, informed choices so you can sign a contract (or offer a contract) with confidence. We can strategize a good plan for you so that you are less likely to face a lawsuit or adverse report. So, the next time you are dealing with a rough human resource decision, remember that we are here to help, no matter which side of the argument you are on. Give us a call today to schedule your free 30-minute consultation.