HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — There may be a settlement in the works for the adverse action appeal filed by June Perez, the former Guam Memorial Hospital Authority program coordinator who was terminated last year for allegedly interfering with medical care while attempting to arrange a clergy and family visit for a patient.
“This is starting to move towards settlement. I think what we want to do is just put it on for another status call,” Robert Koss, Perez’s lay representative from the Guam Federation of Teachers, said during a status call last week with the Civil Service Commission.
Koss said the parties are looking at two weeks for settlement talks.
Perez was terminated in early December 2023. Based on her termination papers, Perez’s duties at the hospital involved spiritual care, including arranging for the performance of last rites. Perez was accused of interfering with medical staff during attempts to provide emergency lifesaving treatment on Oct. 26, 2023.
“Your interference was substantive and caused unnecessary risk, delay and distraction in the administration of emergency medical care by GMH staff. … Your actions on Oct. 26, 2023, created an unnecessary threat to patient safety and undue hardship towards those members of medical staff working to save the patient’s life,” the termination papers stated.
Perez was also issued a reprimand in March 2023 regarding staff complaints and insubordination. One complaint documented in the reprimand described a situation where Perez allegedly sought a Chuukese interpreter for a patient, despite being told that the patient spoke English. This reportedly upset the patient so much that he punched a wall in his room.
In a prior complaint, Perez allegedly made attempts to cancel an active “code blue” alarm, resulting in the disruption of patient care. A code blue is called if a patient is experiencing a life-threatening emergency. Other complaints or alleged insubordination also were documented in the reprimand, which warned Perez that if she failed to address the issues, she may be subject to progressive discipline, including suspension or termination.
After her termination, Perez filed an appeal with the CSC.
She stated the adverse action against her was procedurally defective, overly harsh and unfair because it was taken without just cause. Her termination occurred earlier this month.
Guam Memorial Hospital is seen Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in Tamuning.
