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Here is the response that I received from Kindred Healthcare in reference to an complaint email I sent about the Memorial Day Flag fiasco. Thank you Kindred Healthcare for a quick and appropriate response.
Kindred Healthcare is proud of its history of supporting our employees and their families who have served our country through military service. We are sincerely sorry that one incident between two employees gave the perception that we do not respect the flag or the sacrifice it represents.
It is neither the policy of Kindred Healthcare nor Kindred Hospital Mansfield to restrict the rights of our employees and their expressions of patriotism. This is not in keeping with the spirit and culture of Kindred Healthcare. We routinely celebrate the blessings bestowed upon us by honoring our veterans and active military through a variety of benefits and service programs. The truth is the Mansfield hospital situation has not been described accurately or in its entirety. In fact, both employees involved in the situation have family members who have served in the military.
This issue was simply a dispute between two employees who shared a small workspace, one of whom removed the flag because of its size. It’s important to note that hospital management was not involved in the decision to remove the flag and has since worked with both employees to resolve the situation. We support our employees’ first amendment rights and have invited the employee to rehang her flag, which she has now done.
We are sorry that this incident occurred. We organize many activities and programs throughout the year to honor our veterans. This year, in addition to our annual Independence Day celebrations, we will proudly distribute American flags that our employees can display in their workspaces. Our 55,000 hard-working employees serve our patients and residents daily with innumerable acts of kindness and compassion. We value and respect each of our employees and their commitment to high quality care and we look forward to continuing to serve our communities and our country.
Thank you for your email and sharing with me your thoughts.
Best regards,
Susan Moss