Latest news with #termination
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Highest number of abortions ever recorded in Jersey in 2024
More abortions took place in Jersey in 2024 than at any time since 2002, a report has Abortions Report found about 280 pregnancies were terminated in 2024 - up from 260 in 2023, and compared with 210 in highest ever number of terminations was recorded among women aged between 25 and 29, the report also found Jersey's abortion ratio was the highest on record and above the EU average, with 390 terminations per 1,000 live births. 'Notably higher' The Public Health annual report said the abortion ratio was the highest reported in the past 25 said the rise was driven "not only by small year-on-year increases in the number of abortions being conducted but also by a significant reduction in the number of live births in recent years".The report said Jersey's abortion ratio of 390 per 1,000 was "notably higher" than many European countries with the EU average being 199 and Great Britain added this may reflect improved access to abortion care and a broader shift in reproductive report showed an increase in the abortion rate from 9.7 per 1,000 in 2020 to 14.9 in also found the proportion of abortions performed before 10 weeks' gestation was 93% in 2024 which it said indicated better early pregnancy recognition and access to services.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Real reason Boston's 'Democrat dictator' fired only two of three staffers embroiled in 'sordid love triangle'
A Boston City Hall staffer who was fired by Mayor Michelle Wu over her alleged involvement in a sordid love triangle has lifted the lid on what she says really led to her termination - and why only she and her boyfriend were let go. Marwa Khudaynazar, 27, and her boyfriend Chulan Huang, 26, were fired after facing domestic violence charges stemming from alleged romantic advances on May 15 involving a third city official. Khudaynazar, former chief of staff of Police Accountability and Transparency, went to a bar with her friend that night before running into Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu - her boyfriend's then boss - where she allegedly shooed off his advances and was kissed by him. When Huang, former neighborhood liaison for Downtown, Chinatown, and the Leather District, found out, he allegedly told officers, 'She went on a date with my boss', adding 'they booked a hotel and she came here to rub it in my face.' Now, Khudaynazar claims Idowu was not only the reason behind their feud that night, but also why only the couple were terminated - to protect Wu's top aide, according to The Boston Globe. Wu is often referred to as the 'Democratic dictator' by her adversaries for her progressive policies. Khudaynazar told the outlet that Idowu, 36, made several advances toward her after they ran into each other at Hue, a local bar, and told her he rented a room at the Park Plaza Hotel for them. Text messages shared with the Globe between Khudaynazar and the top aide appeared to confirm their interaction, as she told him: 'You're my partner's boss. You know that this isn't appropriate.' 'I told him before we left the bar, "I'll take [you] to [your] hotel, but I'm not coming up",' she added. In another text message, reviewed by the Globe, Idowu told Khudaynazar at 12.47am 'I'm in the room,' along with an upside-down smiley face emoji. 'I know you're not gonna join me but I hope I've proven that I don't talk sh** and I mean what I say. Let me know when you get home.' She also said that the night she allegedly saw him at the bar she was drinking with one of her friends, per the Globe. Khudaynazar told the outlet he went on to buy them cocktails and once her girlfriend left, Idowu started to approach her. 'He has a hand on my back, he's whispering in my ear, we're chatting really close,' she recalled to the outlet. 'He's on his phone for a bit and then he just turns his phone toward me and is like, 'I just booked a room, would love for you to join me.' Khudaynazar, who had three drinks that night, then declined his offer and said she would just drop him off and call it a night, but that's when he kissed her on the lips, she told the Globe. She also said that the night she allegedly saw him at the bar she was drinking with one of her friends. He then kept asking her to change her mind, but Khudaynazar declined again, she stated. Khudaynazar (pictured) said that the night she allegedly saw him at the bar she was drinking with one of her friends After she dropped Idowu off, Khudaynazar made her way to Huang's apartment and told him what happened - leaving him furious and her to call the police. During their interaction, Khudaynazar said Huang clung onto her wrists, so she bit him multiple times in self-defense. When officers arrived, they slapped handcuffs on Huang, leaving Khudaynazar upset. 'I remember specifically telling the officer inside the house, you know, we both work together, we both work for the city,' she told the Globe. 'If you're looking at this like a domestic violence situation and you think I'm a victim, escalating this is not what I need.' She also noted asking the officers to call their supervisor, but was told there was not one around. According to Khudaynazar, she chose to mention her job to make it clear she knew how to de-escalate domestic violence incidents, not to save herself from getting arrested. 'Never once was I like, "I work at OPAT; you can't arrest me",' she said. Days after, she said she was interviewed by City Hall resources staff, but they did not ask about Idowu or what happened that night. They were only interested in knowing if she mentioned where she worked, Khudaynazar told the outlet. In her official termination letter from May 20, the city said Khudaynazar asked to not discuss what happened that night, but she said she did agree to talk with investigators, according to records. In the moment, she wrote she was doing so 'under duress' because everything moved so fast, leaving her with no time to obtain a lawyer to defend her. That letter also stated that she failed to get formal approval for medical leave - another allegation she has disputed, telling the outlet she used her sick time to recover from recent hip replacement surgery. Although Idowu declined to answer questions about his interaction with Khudaynazar that night, through his lawyer he denied being a part of any behavior that would indicate sexual harassment. Jeffery Robbins, his attorney, told that his client was interviewed as part of the investigation and there 'was no finding of any improper, unethical or inappropriate conduct on his part was made, because he engaged in none.' 'Since it is our understanding that there is a criminal investigation into the alleged incident between these two individuals--an incident which had nothing whatsoever to do with Mr. Idowu--it is pretty plain that due regard both for law enforcement and for the individual rights of these two individuals dictates that the appropriate thing is for Mr. Idowu to refrain from comment on the matter, and that is what he will do,' Robbins added. Khudaynazar and Huang were both charged with assault and battery on a household member. She was also charged with assault and battery on a police officer, according to court documents first reported by the Globe. Both pleaded not guilty. She also accused the police department of exaggerating what happened when they arrived as one officer wrote that she pulled her hand out of their grasp and 'proceeded to strike' the cop's chest. No mention of injury was included in the police report, but after the incident, Wu told reporters: 'It's never OK to harm a police officer.' A city spokesperson told 'The City's internal review found no violations of laws or city workforce policies by any other employee. 'Whenever the City receives an allegation of employee misconduct from an employee, a former employee, or a member of the public, the City's Human Resources team takes steps to review and takes employment action accordingly,' they said, adding that 'This conduct by City employees is never acceptable.' The investigation itself has opened a larger can of worms for Wu as Josh Kraft, a politician running against her to become the next mayor of Boston, has called for an internal probe to take place. 'The public deserves more information,' Kraft said. Others have agreed with Kraft, including Boston City Counselor Ed Flynn. 'I do think there should be an outside investigation to determine all of the facts of what happened because clearly something happened,' Flynn said. 'We owe it to her and to the other city employee to have a full investigation that isn't just closed on the administration side,' said Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy.
Washington Post
05-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Elon Musk is gone, but DOGE's actions are hard to reverse. The Institute of Peace is a case study
WASHINGTON — The staff was already jittery. The raiders from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency had disposed of the U.S. Institute of Peace board, its acting president and its longtime outside counsel. But until 9:30 p.m. on March 28, there was hope the damage might be limited. Then termination notices started popping up in personal emails.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Isaiah Hugley's lawyer sends Columbus city attorney letter escalating lawsuit threat
Scott Grubman, attorney for former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley, sent a letter Friday afternoon demanding that the city reinstate Hugley by June 6; otherwise, he will proceed with filing a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding Hugley's termination. The Columbus Council voted 7-3 to fire Hugley on May 27, following the release of a Muscogee County Sheriff's Office administrative report about the investigation into the Columbus Consolidated Government's finance department and associated arrests. Grubman sent the letter with his demands to Columbus City Attorney Clifton Fay and Deputy City Attorney Lucy Seftall. The letter was also addressed to attorney Leslie Harnett, who has been serving as personal counsel for Columbus Councilors Glenn Davis, Charmaine Crabb, Toyia Tucker, Joanne Cogle, Byron Hickey and John Anker after they received a cease-and-desist letter from Grubman in April. The cease-and-desist was sent after Hickey questioned whether Hugley violated the city's code of ethics by not disclosing an almost $30,000 small business grant that his wife, state Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus) received to the council. Hugley did disclose the grant application to Mayor Skip Henderson and Fay, who advised him to pass the application to his deputy city manager rather than handle it himself. After Hugley was terminated, Grubman told the Ledger-Enquirer that he planned to file for Hugley to have a public hearing before the council by next Friday. In the most recent letter sent to Fay, Sheftall and Hartnett, Grubman argues that Hugley's termination violated federal and state laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Leading up to the termination, Grubman argues that 'various racist, false, defamatory and down-right offensive remarks' about Hugley surfaced in the sheriff's administrative report, according to the letter. He cites Crabb describing African American church leaders who spoke during the public agenda portion of previous council meetings as Hugley's 'little mafiosos' and alleging that Hugley engaged in discriminatory practices benefiting Black individuals who are members of historically Black sororities and fraternities. 'Less than two weeks after this interview report was released, and after Councilwoman Crabb was called out for this improper, racist behavior, including by Mr. Hugley through counsel, she introduced her unscheduled motion to terminate Mr. Hugley's employment after 40 years of employment with the City of Columbus, and 20 years as Columbus' first African American city manager,' Grubman said in the letter. Grubman argued that Hickey was also biased against Hugley, repeating the allegation that Hickey was retaliating after the councilor attempted to intervene in a pending decision about a pay raise for his wife, who works for the Columbus Police Department. 'Based on these facts alone, it is clear that the stated reasons for Mr. Hugley's termination were nothing more than pretext for unlawful discrimination and retaliation,' Grubman said. Along with demanding Hugley be reinstated as city manager, Grubman also argued that members of the council could be held personally liable for damages if their actions were done 'oppressively, maliciously, corruptly or without authority of law.' He demanded Hugley be paid around $213,000 along with his reinstatement. 'If we do not hear from you by the close of business on Friday, June 6, 2025, we will assume you are not interested in resolving this matter and will proceed with filing a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),' Grubman said in the letter. The city attorney and Hartnett have not responded to a request for comment before publishing.
Medscape
30-05-2025
- Business
- Medscape
Terminated! The Risky Clause Hidden in Physician Contracts
Ashley Saucier, MD Ashley Saucier, MD, hadn't even finished charting after her shift in March 2023, when she had to rush to a meeting called by her supervisor. When she got there, a team of executives handed her a piece of paper telling her she had been 'terminated without cause, effective immediately.' 'In that moment in the conference room, your life flashes before your eyes,' said the Louisiana-based pediatric emergency room physician. 'You have all of these feelings all at once: I just spent 10 years of my life giving everything to this job, not spending time with my family, having to be on blood pressure and anxiety medicine, not sleeping and always having to have my phone on.' As the hospital's pediatric emergency medical director, Saucier said she had received positive feedback in peer reviews and had overseen the expansion of her department, the launch of a children's hospital, and its Level II pediatric trauma certification. But she had also been vocal about patient-safety issues, including concerns she and her staff had surrounding a new business partnership. 'That definitely built up over time, the perception that I was too vocal,' she said. She assumes this contributed to the company's decision to fire her. Saucier, 47 years, said she vaguely remembered a clause in the contract she'd signed a decade earlier that had a clause about 'termination without cause.' 'You sign the big contract in the beginning when you start, but after that you only sign a one-page document going forward,' she said. 'So you're not seeing that clause over and over again.' A 'termination without cause' clause in a contract allows either the employer or the employee to end their contract at any time, without having to give a reason for the decision. Without a reason for a firing, doctors are often left to speculate about what's behind it, while also faced with the prospect of finding a new employer, maintaining financial solvency, and dealing with a personal sense of failure. Understanding the Risk It's unclear how often 'termination without cause' affects doctors. Saucier said that after sharing her story publicly, she heard anecdotal stories from physicians all over the country who had had similar experiences. Still, Jackie Crain, an associate contract review specialist at Contract Diagnostics said that she has not seen employers making frequent use of the provision, although it's common in contracts. Scott Weavil Scott Weavil, an attorney with Weavil Law, a San Francisco law firm that specializes in physician contract review, said that more often physicians recognize that they face a potentially imminent termination and resign before it occurs. 'Where we do see more risk is in smaller private practices, where the economics are tighter and personality conflicts are at the fore vs larger practices,' he said. 'This also applies to both practices owned by financial investors and others that are re-evaluating their workforce, such as by replacing physicians with mid-level providers.' Weavil added that many hospitals are looking to increase or retain their physician workforces, although some are replacing primary care physicians with advanced practice providers. The Union Factor Cris Carillo, DO, 33 years, a family medicine physician in California, said he also had a vague recollection of such a clause in his contract. 'I knew that I was an at-will employee,' he said. 'But it never really entered my mind that I could be terminated and how much that could upend your life.' Like Saucier, Carillo had been outspoken about patient safety concerns. At the time of his termination, he was also serving as a lead organizer in a unionizing drive, urging fellow doctors to join the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD). Carillo had had near-perfect performance reviews prior to his firing, which happened abruptly. He was called into a meeting with human resources and clinic managers, who handed him a termination letter and immediately escorted him out of the building. Tim Jenkins Tim Jenkins, a senior representative with the UAPD, said that terminations without cause are more common when physicians are in the midst of unionizing. Jenkins said Carillo's employer thought that they could 'cut the head of the snake off' and 'teach everyone a lesson about what happens when you speak up.' In Carillo's case, his coworkers went on a brief strike to protest his termination. He was reinstated after about 90 days as a result of a settlement of an unfair practice charge filed by the union. Despite the experience, Carillo wanted to return to his job because he believes in the clinic's mission and feels connected to the community. Jenkins said that the union has filed charges against three different employers in the last few years where there have been terminations during the process of starting a union. 'Our goals include protecting physicians from unfair terminations as well as negotiating a collective bargaining agreement that is clear and comprehensive,' Jenkins said. 'All of our contracts are reviewed and voted on before adoption, so it is a transparent and democratic process.' According to the Union Membership and Coverage Database, fewer than 8% of physicians belong to a union. So if your contract says that you can be terminated without cause, you have little recourse unless you suspect you've been fired as retaliation or for discriminatory purposes. Still, there are things that you can do to minimize your risk: Before You Sign: Have a legal expert look at your contract. Crain likens a physician signing a contract without legal review to a lay person trying to interpret their own diagnostic tests. 'Yes, I can Google it and get hints and ranges, but is that as good as talking to the doctor about it?' she asked. In addition to making sure you understand the contract, a legal expert can also help you negotiate for terms that are fair to both parties. Ideally, 'termination without cause' clauses should: Be mutual — meaning that you can also leave for any reason Include a notice period — 90 days is typical Not require noncompete adherence or incentive repayment upon termination Include severance pay and/or extended benefits On the Job: Don't ignore red he was not expecting to be fired, Carillo said that in retrospect, there were signs. 'In the months leading up to [it], I saw the trajectory where I was feeling more like I was under a microscope,' he said. Many employers use the strategy of 'quiet firing,' meaning they try to pressure an employee into quitting before resorting to termination. If you're suddenly excluded from meetings, given less responsibility, or being denied raises, your boss may be trying to send you a message that your current position is not a good fit. 'Be aware of the prevailing sentiment,' Weavil said. 'If things are not going well, start pursuing back-up options. Consider doing the same thing in the event of potential upheaval, like a corporate change-of-control transaction, or a reconsideration of the staffing model.' Make sure you keep your network up to date. Keeping in touch with other physicians in your fields has many benefits, including making it easier to quickly land on your feet at a new role, if necessary. After her termination, Saucier called a friend who was director of a pediatric emergency department in a nearby city to tell her she was no longer employed. Within a week, she'd met with staff in her friend's department and had a letter of intent for a new position a few weeks after that. It's also important to build up a rainy-day fund in a conservative, liquid place, such as a high-yield savings account. If It Happens to You Often, there are forces beyond your control that culminate in your firing. As difficult as it is, your best approach is to move on. Saucier said, now that 2 years have passed, she views the day she was fired as the 'best/worst day of my life.' 'For a long time, probably 2 or 3 years, prior to my termination I really wanted to leave,' she said. 'I didn't feel that it was going in a direction that intersected with how I live my life and practice medicine, but I had spent years building up this team and would never have left them. And so the decision was made for me.' It can be hard not to take a termination personally, especially if — like many — you're the type of physician who places a lot of your self-worth in your professional success. But try not to dwell. Weavil added that while legal protections exist for good-faith disclosures, physicians terminated without cause likely have less to worry about in terms of their future career prospects than those fired for a competency issue. Many employers are cautious about disclosure and may provide only minimal information as a reference, unless compelled by law or accreditation requirements. 'Realize that physicians switch jobs all the time in the current landscape, so future employers aren't likely to view the separation negatively,' Weavil said.
