Taking Your Marriage to Work
Pamela J. Miller, O.D., J.D.
The question of hiring a spouse to work in your practice should always
raise a red flag. There’s a basic rule about it: Don’t do it.
There are exceptions to every rule, including this one. If your spouse
is a licensed professional and an equal, then substantially different ground
sexist for your professional relationship. If your spouse is helping out
while others are on vacation or ill, or you bring him or her on to complete
specific task—transfer your patient records from paper to electronic files,
for example—it’s a temporary working arrangement with a foreseeable endpoint.
If you’ve thought about hiring your spouse as an assistant, you must
have all your wits about you. This is a business—Hello! I said business—relationship,
separate from your marriage. Treat your spouse as you would any other employee.
Doctors often fall into several pitfalls when they hire a spouse. Each
costs time, money, patients and reputation. If you must work with the manor
woman you sleep with, here are some guidelines to follow.
1. Make certain your spouse is qualified.
She (in most cases it’s a male doctor hiring a spouse) should fill
outran employment application, submit to an interview and take the same
tests you require of any job applicant. If you normally do a credit and
criminal background check of potential employees, do the same for your
spouse (and hope you don’t uncover any surprises).
2. Pay your spouse fairly.
Make certain you compensate your spouse fairly and equally, and that
you meet all appropriate tax and insurance requirements. Don’t hire your
spouse just because she works cheaper or because you think you don’t have
to payer at all. This is not only bad business; it isn’t true. Minimum
wage and fair labor laws generally prohibit this kind of thing. And, an
unpaid spouse doesn’t get credit for Social Security or disability.
3. Is there a contract?
Not a marriage contract—an employment contract. If you use one for
other employees, you must do the same for your spouse. You must also comply
withal occupational, training and safety regulations. If an annual reviews
part of your standard employee contract, do one for your spouse.
4. Don’t put her on a pedestal.
That means, don’t isolate her from other employees or give her preferential
treatment. Your spouse does not run the office; you do.
5. What does it mean to your team?
If your spouse is the office manager, don’t expect employees to confide
in you or be team players. If they are, that’s great, but office manager-spouse
is a huge club to hold over any employee. One should achieve this position
through competency and ability, not through marriage.
6. Never bring your personal problems into the office.
Patients and staff can pick up on the clues. Don’t put your staff in
the unenviable position of having to choose sides.
7. Who’s the boss?
No matter how you slice it, you are. You should make the ultimate decisions.
If you decide otherwise, then you must make it absolutely clear that you
only see patients and your spouse makes the decisions.
8. Stealing is stealing.
If your employees see your spouse taking cash, a frame, stamps, etc.,
don’t be surprised if they do the same. You should have strict office-policy
guidelines, and have your spouse (and yourself) adhere to them.
9. What happens if ...
Before you hire your spouse, stop and think about the possibility that
you might not always be married to each other. What will you do then?
When all is said and done, think twice about hiring your spouse. Weak
moment can cost you an awful lot.
Dr. Miller is a private practitioner and consultant based in Highland,
Calif.
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