A judge ruled that a Montana dental practice violated U.S. labor law when it fired a receptionist for discussing with a colleague the unfairness of a financial bonus tied to the office’s billing collections.
The court ruled on May 1 that Nielsen Dental in Helena, MT, violated the U.S. National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) following the September 2024 firing of Suzanne King.
The court ordered Nielsen Dental to reinstate King within 14 days, pay back wages with interest, and post notices informing employees of rights the practice had unlawfully suppressed, according to the court decision.
In September 2024, the practice office manager informed King that front-desk staff had crossed the $2 million collections threshold, which triggered a $500 bonus. Furthermore, the manager reportedly told her not to tell employees in the "back" of the bonus, including hygienists and dental assistants, according to the decision.
After the discussion, King texted an office dental assistant, complaining that the bonus seemed small compared to the $2 million in collections. The assistant commiserated with King.
Once the practice learned of this discussion, King reportedly was told she was being fired because she discussed the bonus with other employees, according to the decision. The court determined that the office manager’s instruction not to discuss the bonus was unlawful.
Under the NLRA, most employees in the private sector have the right to discuss pay with co-workers. Employers who punish or prevent these conversations are breaking U.S. labor laws regardless of whether a workplace is unionized or not. Therefore, the judge found that King’s text with the co-worker was "inherently concerted" protected activity under the law, according to the decision.
