CEO who went on Dominican holiday out of function atop Hamilton clinic

© Niagara Overall health
Soon after two yrs as CEO of St. Joseph’s Wellness Process, the board of directors say Dr. Tom Stewart is no more time in the position just after he went on family vacation in the Dominican Republic throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The head of a Hamilton hospital who vacationed in the Dominican Republic over the holidays is out of the position, right after two times of public outrage.

Dr. Thomas Stewart and St. Joseph’s Wellbeing System “parted approaches” on Thursday, in accordance to a assertion from its board of administrators. 

A spokesperson for St. Joe’s could not say if he resigned or was fired.

Load Mistake

Stewart was removed as CEO of Niagara Wellness on Wednesday and, on Tuesday, resigned from a amount of wellbeing advisory boards including a COVID-19 panel that advises Premier Doug Ford. 

All this followed a report on Tuesday about his international vacation.

An internal memo from two St. Joe’s officials, attained by CBC News, reported they comprehended that team have been pissed off.

“We have heard your irritation and disappointment about Dr. Stewart’s intercontinental journey during a crucial position in the pandemic. We share those people emotions,” said St. Joseph’s Health care Hamilton president Melissa Farrell and interim chief of staff Dr. David Russell in the e-mail. 

The board claimed an interim substitute will be named shortly. 

Termination clause

Stewart’s deal includes a clause that entitles him to 24 months of fork out, much more than $1 million, if he is terminated with no result in. 

Stewart received a wage of $604,083.24 and $25,631.76 in taxable positive aspects in 2019, in accordance to general public data. 

If Stewart is fired without cause and his compensation starts off, he need to look for long term function that can shell out what he manufactured as CEO, and only if he finds some can St. Joe’s prevent payment, according to his contract, dated Aug. 1, 2018.

For some time, he would also go on to get some some employment-related advantages.

Stewart will not get the 24 months in fork out if he is terminated with result in according to the contract. That includes:

• A materials breach of the provisions of the agreement.
• Gross neglect or duty.
• Disregard or disobedience of any fair resolution of the board.
• Any wilful act of dishonesty or neglect in performing duties
• Conviction of an indictable prison offence.

The agreement and all of its ailments can be terminated if Stewart resigns on phrases which satisfy him and the board.

Hospitals battled outbreaks 

The medical center networks both said his accepted holiday started out on Dec. 18. In an apology e-mail to workers, a assertion attributed to Stewart mentioned his vacation included a stay with relatives at his private home in the Dominican.

He returned to Canada on Tuesday, according to that assertion.

“I know that my conclusion to journey was incorrect and that you are unhappy in me. My best regret, just after you have sacrificed so much for the very last 10 months, is that I have enable you down,” examine the message to staff on Wednesday.

The leading, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and other individuals reacted to his holiday with disappointment.

The day ahead of Stewart started out his holiday vacation, St. Joe’s and Niagara Overall health referred to as on the province to acquire “decisive motion” all over lockdowns since “COVID infections and hospitalizations are soaring speedily and display no signs of abating.”

Though he was away, services in the two healthcare facility networks battled fatal outbreaks and the authorities urged people to continue to be home as the 2nd wave of the virus raged on.

Niagara Wellbeing and St. Joe’s have not answered issues about who permitted Stewart’s holiday vacation and why.