An HR manager receives a call from an employee who indicates that he feels harassed and needs to talk to someone immediately. The employee alleges that his supervisor treats him differently. He also accuses his supervisor of logging onto his computer and making program changes and sending inappropriate messages to others. When HR asks for proof, the employee indicates that all evidence has been deleted by the supervisor. The employee also shares his belief that other employees, including the marketing manager, are trying to discredit him. The employee further accuses the supervisor of making sexual advances toward him.
HR's speaks with the supervisor, who reports that there have been problems with the employee for some time. There have been several warnings, and the employee's behavior is becoming more erratic. The supervisor wants to proceed with termination of the employee. She is concerned that if nothing happens she will see high-performing employees leave. The HR manager mentions the accusations of harassment. The supervisor angrily yells "This employee is crazy!" and storms out of the HR manager's office.
The employee leaves work at the end of his shift, gets into a car accident, and sustains minor injuries that will cause several days of absence from work. As proof of temporary disability, he forwards the physician's notes. The notes, however, also refer to symptoms of mental illness.
What corrective action should the HR manager recommend be taken in reference to the patient information included by mistake in the physician's notes?
