What is the name of your state? Massachusetts
Let me set up my question with some background information. This is about my mother-in-law who is caucasian, in her late fifties and has worked as a dental assistant to the same practice for over 30 years. The detal office has always had a couple of hygenists, a dental assistant, 1-2 dentists and a receptionist-besides the dentist it is all women around the same age. The office does not have any computers, all record keeping (financial, medical, etc.) is hand written or typed. All the employees worked regularly scheduled days, Monday through Friday, from around 8a-5p/40 hours, with a lunch hour, regular holidays off. They do not receive any medical or dental (ironically) benefits, nor do they have any retirement program. Vacation and sick days are basically unpaid leave.
I would like to figure out if my mother-in-law has any legal grounds to go after the dentist she currently works for. Reason being metal abuse, poor working conditions, denying her the oppourtunity to work and/or discrimination of any sort.
A few years ago, the dentist that started the pratice brought in another dentist to take over so that he could retire. The dentist that took over has since changed several things about the practice and caused the employees, my mother-in-law in particular, great emotional stress. He has repeatedly lost his temper and yelled at my mother-in-law and spent other days refusing to speak to her, including during patient appointments that she is assisting him with. (I seem to remember her being called "stupid" but can't say for sure) She comes home from work crying on a regular basis and has developed knee problems from the years of standing on this job as well. My mother-in-law and the other employees feel that he is changing policies, working hours and be flat out mean to them in an attempt to force them out and quit.
A couple of years back, he brought on another dentist to increase business, but after a year or so, she had had enough of him and left for another practice. The employees have asked several times for computer equipment to assist with the record keeping but the dentist has refused to buy them equipment. The employees used to go to a conference in Boston every year, but are not allowed anymore.
Over the past year, he has made several changes to the employees' work schedules, all of which have diminished their overall number of working hours per week. The changes include working on weekends and flat out limiting the number of hours each person has each week. Now with the new year he has made another change in the scheudling, which requires my mother-in-law to work something like from 8 to 10am, then leave work and come back at 3pm to 8pm several days of the week. If they refuse to work this entire shift, they are not allowed to work that day. As a result my mother-in-law can't work much because by 5 pm she is in so much pain she cannot stand anymore. So she loses these days and works something like 8-10 hours a week now.
Last week, one of the ladies (also in her late fifties) that works with my mother-in-law took a phone call at the office. It was a younger woman looking for the dentist. This woman explained that she was the new hygenist to replace the lady that answered the phone and had been hired back in November but couldn't start until this month. Also, the woman asked if the computer that she requested, that the dentist ordered, for the office had arrived yet.
So in a nut shell, they are all on pins and needles waiting for their time to be cut more or to be fired and go home crying more days than not. Is there any type of action that I can look into for my mother-in-law. any suggestions are greatly appreciated. thank you for your time. Chris.
I have also been told that 2 years ago, he had a run in with the law for drugs-writing and using prescriptions himself. I don't know the exact truth to that, but maybe it makes a difference.
Let me set up my question with some background information. This is about my mother-in-law who is caucasian, in her late fifties and has worked as a dental assistant to the same practice for over 30 years. The detal office has always had a couple of hygenists, a dental assistant, 1-2 dentists and a receptionist-besides the dentist it is all women around the same age. The office does not have any computers, all record keeping (financial, medical, etc.) is hand written or typed. All the employees worked regularly scheduled days, Monday through Friday, from around 8a-5p/40 hours, with a lunch hour, regular holidays off. They do not receive any medical or dental (ironically) benefits, nor do they have any retirement program. Vacation and sick days are basically unpaid leave.
I would like to figure out if my mother-in-law has any legal grounds to go after the dentist she currently works for. Reason being metal abuse, poor working conditions, denying her the oppourtunity to work and/or discrimination of any sort.
A few years ago, the dentist that started the pratice brought in another dentist to take over so that he could retire. The dentist that took over has since changed several things about the practice and caused the employees, my mother-in-law in particular, great emotional stress. He has repeatedly lost his temper and yelled at my mother-in-law and spent other days refusing to speak to her, including during patient appointments that she is assisting him with. (I seem to remember her being called "stupid" but can't say for sure) She comes home from work crying on a regular basis and has developed knee problems from the years of standing on this job as well. My mother-in-law and the other employees feel that he is changing policies, working hours and be flat out mean to them in an attempt to force them out and quit.
A couple of years back, he brought on another dentist to increase business, but after a year or so, she had had enough of him and left for another practice. The employees have asked several times for computer equipment to assist with the record keeping but the dentist has refused to buy them equipment. The employees used to go to a conference in Boston every year, but are not allowed anymore.
Over the past year, he has made several changes to the employees' work schedules, all of which have diminished their overall number of working hours per week. The changes include working on weekends and flat out limiting the number of hours each person has each week. Now with the new year he has made another change in the scheudling, which requires my mother-in-law to work something like from 8 to 10am, then leave work and come back at 3pm to 8pm several days of the week. If they refuse to work this entire shift, they are not allowed to work that day. As a result my mother-in-law can't work much because by 5 pm she is in so much pain she cannot stand anymore. So she loses these days and works something like 8-10 hours a week now.
Last week, one of the ladies (also in her late fifties) that works with my mother-in-law took a phone call at the office. It was a younger woman looking for the dentist. This woman explained that she was the new hygenist to replace the lady that answered the phone and had been hired back in November but couldn't start until this month. Also, the woman asked if the computer that she requested, that the dentist ordered, for the office had arrived yet.
So in a nut shell, they are all on pins and needles waiting for their time to be cut more or to be fired and go home crying more days than not. Is there any type of action that I can look into for my mother-in-law. any suggestions are greatly appreciated. thank you for your time. Chris.
I have also been told that 2 years ago, he had a run in with the law for drugs-writing and using prescriptions himself. I don't know the exact truth to that, but maybe it makes a difference.
