From mmreturn@magnetdev.com Tue Dec 15 07:38:21 2009 Return-Path: <mmreturn@magnetdev.com> Received: from mail14.mmsend.com (mmsend14.mmsend.com [64.27.72.14]) by smtp.XXXXXXX.XXX (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id nBFFcEQZ003321 for <XXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX>; Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:38:15 -0800 Message-Id: <200912151538.nBFFcEQZ003321@smtp.XXXXXXX.XXX> Received: from MAGNETMAIL1 (172.18.14.1) by mail14.mmsend.com id h4umme0ir20e for <XXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX>; Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:38:10 -0500 (envelope-from <mmreturn@magnetdev.com>) Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:38:09 -0500 From: editor@principalinvestigators.org To: <XXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX> Subject: Your Issue: December 15, 2009 X-TokenInfo-NoToken: X-Bps1: 4549594354 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_NextPart_000_887979_20091215_10389772" X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure engine=1.12.8161:2.4.5,1.2.40,4.0.166 definitions=2009-12-15_11:2009-12-12,2009-12-15,2009-12-15 signatures=0 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0 ipscore=0 phishscore=0 bulkscore=100 adultscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx engine=5.0.0-0908210000 definitions=main-0912150105 --_NextPart_000_887979_20091215_10389772 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable PI e-Alert weekly e-zine is delivered worldwide.=A0PI e-Alert=A0features ex= pert advice on managerial and administrative challenges which confront Prin= cipal Investigators in every field of science research. Subscribe today at = XXXXXXXprincipalinvestigators.org/free_e_alert.php. =20 No. 7, December 14-18, 2009 Duty To Question Bizarre Behavior? Reader Question:=A0 One of my lab technicians has begun talking to himself and has become very = argumentative. Several of my staff have confided they are worried he is dev= eloping a mental disorder--and thus we could be heading for some episode of= "workplace violence". As PI and his supervisor, may I legally interview hi= m about these personality changes? Should I? If I refer the matter to our i= nstitute's Human Resources department, could the technician accuse me of "d= efamation of character"? Do I have any duty to do something or anything? Expert Comments:=A0 As PIs, you are "management" and a representative of the employer (institut= ion). You may, and should, interview the employee as soon as possible and m= ake contemporaneous notes of the conversation. The interview is predicated = on the employee's ability to conduct/complete the essential functions of hi= s job and the work related concerns/complaints expressed by other employees= . You have a legitimate concern about the welfare of all employees and the = safe and efficient operation of the work site.=20 Your interview questions need to be focused on the effects his recent behav= iors are having on others and the impact to the work environment. Conduct t= he interview discreetly and treat the content as confidential to the extent= you are able. It will help you if the questions are written out in advance= as an aid in order to keep on track. If there is an "employee assistance p= rogram", the employee should be urged to explore that benefit. Unless you a= re licensed and qualified to do so, refrain from the diagnosis of a "mental= disorder" -- leave that to the professionals in the field. Referring the matter to human resource department is appropriate and the ne= xt logical step. In fact, coordinate your efforts with HR. "Defamation" inv= olves negative statements about a View the remainder of the expert comments at XXXXXXXprincipalinvestigators.= org/news.php Comments by=A0G. Frederick Compton, Jr., JD,=A0Partner, Roetzel & Andress L= aw Firm. He concentrates his practice in the area of Labor and Employment. Agree? Disagree?=A0Submit your comments at XXXXXXXprincipalinvestigators.or= g/news.php =20 ??Preview of Next Week's Question?? No. 8, December 21-25, 2009 Reader Question:=A0 Do the reviewers look at the grant application budget and is it taken into = account as a review criterion? How does one ensure that a budget will be vi= ewed as realistic? Submit your early bird comments at XXXXXXXprincipalinvestigators.org/news.p= hp ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Missed Last Weeks's Question? Reader Question:=A0 My lab has 200 rats involved in a long-term study. The technicians have bec= ome very attached to one in particular, and have turned "him" into somethin= g of a pet. He has been given a name, and his cage is kept right in our lab= , not in the animal room. He frequently gets stroked and petted, plus he is= even put into a tiny "leash" and taken for walks around the lab. Is their = friendliness to a lab animal to be praised, or should I insist it be discon= tinued and staff maintain their emotional distance? Are any animal welfare = regulations being violated? View the expert comments at XXXXXXXprincipalinvestigators.org/news.php _______________________________________________________________________ This issue was brought to you as a service by=A0Principal Investigators Ass= ociation. 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Principal Investigators Association=A0 3565 10th St N, Suite B Naples, FL 34103 USA (800) 303-0129=0A=0D*****************************= ********************************* =0A3565 10th Street N, Naples, FL 34103 = =0A**************************************************************=0AUse thi= s link to unsubscribe: XXXXXXXwww.magnetmail.net/Actions/unsubscribe.cfm?message_id=3D887979&user_= id=3DPRININVEST&recipient_id=3DXXXXXXXXX&email=3DXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX&gro= up_id=3D417244 --_NextPart_000_887979_20091215_10389772 Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable = = <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional= //EN" "XXXXXXXwww.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns=3D"XXXXXXXwww.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8" /> <title>Untitled Document</title> </head> <body> <p align=3D"center">Please add "<a href=3D"mailto:editor@principalinvestiga= tors.org" target=3D"_blank">editor@principalinvestigators.org</a>" to your = whitelist or address book, so that you have no trouble receiving future iss= ues!</p> <table align=3D"center" bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF" style=3D"width: 570px; height: = 600" cellpadding=3D"4" border=3D"2"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign=3D"top"><p align=3D"center"><img src=3D"XXXXXXXimages.magn= etmail.net/images/clients/PRININVEST/PIeAlert_banner(2).gif" alt=3D"PI e-Al= ert banner" width=3D"570" height=3D"121" /><br /> </p> <table border=3D"0" width=3D"94%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width=3D"351" rowspan=3D"3"><img src=3D"XXXXXXXimages.mag= netmail.net/images/clients/PRININVEST/xmasmouse.gif" alt=3D"Xmas mouse" wid= th=3D"305" height=3D"245" border=3D"0" /></td> <td height=3D"52">=A0</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div><strong>PI e-Alert weekly e-zine is delivered worldw= ide.</strong>=A0<br /> Feel free to=A0<a href=3D"mailto:?subject=3DPI+e-ALERT+week= ly" target=3D"_blank">share</a>=A0this issue with friends and colleagues.<a= href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.cfm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179= 170&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3DXXXXXXXwww.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?Mer= chantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471525" target=3D"_blank">Subscribe Today!</a></div= ></td> </tr> <tr> <td height=3D"77">=A0</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width=3D"570" bgcolor=3D"#FFFFCC"> <tbody> <tr> <td><p align=3D"left">PI e-Alert=A0features expert advice on = managerial and administrative challenges which confront Principal Investiga= tors in every field of science research. If such matters are not of interes= t to you or your associates, please accept our apologies and "unsubscribe" = at the bottom of the page.</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p> <hr noshade=3D"noshade" color=3D"#FF0000" /> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><p align=3D"right">No. 7, December 14-18, 2= 009</p> <p><strong><u>Management:</u><br /> Duty To Question Bizarre Behavior?</strong></p> <p align=3D"left"><strong>Reader Question:=A0</strong><em>O= ne of my lab technicians has begun talking to himself and has become very a= rgumentative. Several of my staff have confided they are worried he is deve= loping a mental disorder--and thus we could be heading for some episode of = "workplace violence". As PI and his supervisor, may I legally interview him= about these personality changes? Should I? If I refer the matter to our in= stitute's Human Resources department, could the technician accuse me of "de= famation of character"? Do I have any duty to do something or anything?</em= ></p> <p align=3D"left"><strong>Expert Comments:</strong>=A0As PI= s, you are "management" and a representative of the employer (institution).= You may, and should, interview the employee as soon as possible and make c= ontemporaneous notes of the conversation. The interview is predicated on th= e employee's ability to conduct/complete the essential functions of his job= and the work related concerns/complaints expressed by other employees. You= have a legitimate concern about the welfare of all employees and the safe = and efficient operation of the work site. </p> <p align=3D"left">Your interview questions need to be focus= ed on the effects his recent behaviors are having on others and the impact = to the work environment. Conduct the interview discreetly and treat the con= tent as confidential to the extent you are able. It will help you if the qu= estions are written out in advance as an aid in order to keep on track. If = there is an "employee assistance program", the employee should be urged to = explore that benefit. Unless you are licensed and qualified to do so, refra= in from the diagnosis of a "mental disorder" -- leave that to the professio= nals in the field.</p> <p align=3D"left">Referring the matter to human resource de= partment is appropriate and the next logical step. In fact, coordinate your= efforts with HR. "Defamation" involves negative statements about a</p> <p align=3D"right"><a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.c= fm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179171&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3Dhttp= ://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471527" target= =3D"_blank">View the remainder of the expert comments</a></p> <p><em>Comments by=A0<strong>G. Frederick Compton, Jr., JD,= =A0</strong>Partner, Roetzel & Andress Law Firm. He concentrates his practi= ce in the area of Labor and Employment.</em></p><p><em>The foregoing has be= en legal information only and should not be considered legal advice on a sp= ecific issue. For legal advice, the reader should contact legal counsel of= his or her choice.</em></p> <p align=3D"center">Agree? Disagree?=A0<a href=3D"XXXXXXXww= w.magnet101.com/ls.cfm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179172&m=3D887979&u= =3DPRININVEST&s=3DXXXXXXXwww.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022= &AdID=3D471528" target=3D"_blank">Submit your comments</a></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><hr noshade=3D"noshade" color=3D"#FF0000" /= ></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><p align=3D"center"><strong><em>??Preview o= f Next Week's Question??</em></strong></p> <p align=3D"right">No. 8, December 21-25, 2009</p> <p align=3D"left"><strong>Reader Question:=A0</strong><em>D= o the reviewers look at the grant application budget and is it taken into a= ccount as a review criterion? How does one ensure that a budget will be vie= wed as realistic?</em></p> <br /> <p align=3D"center"><a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.= cfm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179173&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3Dhtt= p://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471531" target= =3D"_blank"><img src=3D"XXXXXXXimages.magnetmail.net/images/clients/PRININV= EST/EarlyBird(1).gif" alt=3D"Early-bird comments" border=3D"0" /></a>=A0=A0= =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =A0=A0<a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.= com/ls.cfm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179174&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s= =3DXXXXXXXwww.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471536"= target=3D"_blank"><img src=3D"XXXXXXXimages.magnetmail.net/images/clients/= PRININVEST/OwnQuestion.gif" alt=3D"Submit your own question" border=3D"0" a= lign=3D"absbottom" /></a></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><hr noshade=3D"noshade" color=3D"#FF0000" /= ></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p align=3D"center"><strong><em>Missed Last Weeks's Quest= ion?</em></strong></p> <p align=3D"left"><strong>Reader Question:=A0</strong><em>M= y lab has 200 rats involved in a long-term study. The technicians have beco= me very attached to one in particular, and have turned "him" into something= of a pet. He has been given a name, and his cage is kept right in our lab,= not in the animal room. He frequently gets stroked and petted, plus he is = even put into a tiny "leash" and taken for walks around the lab. Is their f= riendliness to a lab animal to be praised, or should I insist it be discont= inued and staff maintain their emotional distance? Are any animal welfare r= egulations being violated?</em></p> <p align=3D"right"><a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.c= fm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179175&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3Dhttp= ://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471543" target= =3D"_blank">View the expert comments</a></p></td> <td width=3D"160"><a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.cfm?r= =3DXXXXXXXXX&sid=3D8179176&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3DXXXXXXXw= ww.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471542"><img src= =3D"XXXXXXXimages.magnetmail.net/images/clients/PRININVEST/LiveAudio012610x= .gif" alt=3D"AC" width=3D"150" height=3D"290" border=3D"0" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><hr noshade=3D"noshade" color=3D"#FF0000" /= ></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=3D"2"><p align=3D"center"><a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.o= n2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=3D163022&AdID=3D471544" target=3D"_bla= nk"><img src=3D"XXXXXXXimages.magnetmail.net/images/clients/PRININVEST/SubN= oCharge2.gif" alt=3D"Subscribe" width=3D"152" height=3D"62" border=3D"0" />= </a></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade=3D"noshade" color=3D"#FF0000" /> <table width=3D"100%" bgcolor=3D"#CCCCCC"> <tbody> <tr> <td>This issue was brought to you as a service by=A0<em>Princ= ipal Investigators Association</em>. If you have general questions or comme= nts contact us at=A0<a href=3D"mailto:editor@principalinvestigators.org" ta= rget=3D"_blank">editor@principalinvestigators.org</a>. <p>* Please note that in some cases the unsubscribe links i= n these messages can become broken by the way that an email program display= s the message. If you are having trouble unsubscribing you may also forward= this message to <a href=3D"mailto:editor@principalinvestigators.org" target= =3D"_blank">unsubscribe@principalinvestigators.org</a>=A0with the word 'rem= ove' in the email message subject line.</p> <p align=3D"center">Principal Investigators Association=A0<= br /> 3565 10th St N, Suite B<br /> Naples, FL 34103 USA<br /> (800) 303-0129</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </table></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </body> </html> =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 <p align=3D"center"> Click <a href=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnet101.com/ls.cfm?r=3DXXXXXXXXX&sid= =3D8179177&m=3D887979&u=3DPRININVEST&s=3DXXXXXXXwww.magnetmail.net/Actions/= unsubscribe.cfm?message_id=3D887979&user_id=3DPRININVEST&recipient_id=3D= XXXXXXXXX&email=3DXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX&group_id=3D417244">here</a> to unsubs= cribe.</p><br><P align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D2>3565 10th Street N, Naples, = FL 34103</FONT></P><br>=0A <img src=3D"XXXXXXXwww.magnetmail1.net/spacer.cf= m?tracking_id=3DXXXXXXXXXX"> --_NextPart_000_887979_20091215_10389772--