Geisinger Recognized in Gartner’s Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 For the third consecutive year, Geisinger’s supply chain operations were named among the nation’s top healthcare organizations in the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 for 2023. “Supply chain challenges continue to wreak havoc across the industry, and health care supply chain is no exception. Geisinger’s response has been vital in keeping our staff supplied with what they need to support the communities we serve,” said Kate Polczynski, Geisinger’s vice president of enterprise supply chain services. “Our position in this national ranking is a credit to the team’s commitment to making better health easier, and it highlights the industry leadership Geisinger as a whole represents.” Some of Geisinger’s top focuses include strategic partnerships with suppliers, data quality and standardization and technology innovation — all of it centered around patient care. Now in its 15th year, the Gartner Healthcare Supply Top 25 helps guide supply chain leaders of health systems to build stronger operations to improve patient outcomes and control costs. The rankings program highlights supply chain excellence, recognizing investment in technologies, talent retention and innovation. It is a renowned annual ranking of global supply chains.
NEPA Alliance: Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representatives to Visit Northeast Pennsylvania Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representatives will be in Scranton to meet one-on-one with businesses on Monday, March 11, 2024, at the The Venue / Culinary Creations by Metz, Dupont from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The event, Bringing the World to Northeastern Pennsylvania, is organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Office of International Business Development. Pennsylvania businesses are fortunate to have access to one of the largest export development programs in the country. The state’s global network of export assistance includes 13 Authorized Trade Representatives offering consultative services in 44 international markets. Trade Representatives from Australia, Canada, China, Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, India, Mexico, Middle East Region, Netherlands, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom will be in attendance. The event is for companies in all stages of export development. The Trade Representatives’ services are provided free of charge to Pennsylvania businesses. Services include customized foreign market intelligence, regulatory information, agents and distributor candidates, industry and government contacts, in-country assistance when visiting these markets, and other export related assistance. The event is free, but registration is required. Bringing the World to Northeastern Pennsylvania is funded in part through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Procurement Technical Assistance Center. For more information and to register visit www.greenvelope.com/event/btw24 or contact Debbie Langan, Senior International Business Manager, at 570-891-4645 or dlangan@nepa-alliance.org.
Ufberg & Associates: COVID-19 Vaccination Status is Confidential Under ADA A Federal District Court in Pennsylvania recently issued a decision that provides a valuable reminder that an employee’s COVID-19 vaccination status is considered a medical record which employers must keep confidential. In Purvenas-Hayes v. Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bedensky, P.C., a paralegal was required by her law firm employer to provide her COVID-19 vaccination status, which she did. The paralegal later sued the law firm, initially alleging she was not being paid for overtime work. A few days later, a lawyer in the firm disputed the paralegal’s allegations by informing the Legal Intelligencer, a newspaper that covers the law practice industry, that the paralegal left the firm because she did not wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The paralegal then sued the law firm again, this time alleging a violation of the confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to that disclosure. The law firm defended the suit by arguing that the disclosure did not violate the ADA because: (1) the confidentiality requirement only applied to disability-related inquiries; and (2) the law firm only disclosed her political views. The Court disagreed with both arguments, holding that when an employer’s inquiry of an employee yields information “regarding the medical condition or history of any employee,” the employer must treat the information as a confidential medical record under the ADA. When the employer asked the paralegal for her COVID-19 vaccination status, it requested information about her medical history, which she provided. The employer therefore had an obligation to keep her COVID-19 vaccination status confidential under the ADA. This decision provides an important reminder that an individual’s decision not to receive a vaccination is nevertheless medical information that must be kept confidential. It is also a valuable reminder that organizations should be very careful when making statements to the news media about active litigation – or about human resources issues in general. If you have any questions about this case or the ADA’s confidentiality requirements for employee medical information, please call our office. This Client Alert provides a general overview of new legal developments. It is not intended to provide legal advice. If you have any questions or would like more information about how these developments may affect your business, please contact us at (570) 341-8800.
Dentist at The Wright Center Receives Faculty Appointment with Partner Organization Dr. Surbhi Abrol, a board-certified dentist at The Wright Center for Community Health, has been appointed as a faculty member at NYU Langone Dental Medicine. In her new role, Abrol will mentor dental residents in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program, sharing her clinical knowledge in general dentistry and background in prosthodontics. Each academic year, two dental residents train at The Wright Center’s primary care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania as part of an affiliation established in 2021 with NYU Langone Dental Medicine. The organization, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., operates the world’s largest postdoctoral dental residency program of its kind, training about 400 residents annually at partner sites, including community health centers, hospitals, and other affiliates in nearly 30 states. The Wright Center is currently the only organization in Pennsylvania to partner with NYU Langone to offer its AEGD program. Through the affiliation, The Wright Center is able to attract additional health professionals to the region to address the community’s pressing need for dental services. “I am pleased to receive this faculty appointment and contribute to The Wright Center for Community Health’s vision in clinical training and dental education,” said Abrol, who joined The Wright Center in 2022. “As a faculty member at NYU Langone Dental Medicine, I am excited to help shape the next generation of dentists, particularly those committed to serving in rural and medically underserved communities. This role aligns perfectly with my passion for dental education and community health.” Abrol earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and has been practicing since 2021 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Wright Center for Community Health operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental vehicle called Driving Better Health. Its practices offer integrated whole-person care, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. The Wright Center accepts most major health insurance plans, including Medical Assistance (Medicaid), Medicare, and CHIP. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. To schedule a dental appointment at the Mid Valley Practice in Jermyn, call 570-230-0019. To schedule a dental appointment at the Scranton Practice in the city’s South Side neighborhood, call 570-941-0630. For more information about The Wright Center, visit TheWrightCenter.org.
NEPIRC’S Dream Team Expands Outreach to More Than 7,700 Students The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center’s (NEPIRC’s) Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program continued its mission to educate and inspire the region’s future workforce with more than 40 speaking engagements in 2023. Since the program’s launch in January 2023, NEPIRC’s Dream Team Ambassadors participated in 16 career exploration days, 23 in-school presentations and two summer camps. Collectively, these activities engaged with students from more than 40 schools and led to more than 7,700 student interactions and exchanges at high schools, colleges and organizations throughout NEPIRC’s 11-county region. “In its first year of existence, NEPIRC’s Dream Team has surpassed the PA Department of Education and PA Department of Community and Economic Development goals for the program by more than 100% while recruiting twice as many Ambassadors from twice as many companies and presenting to more than ten times as many students as expected,” said Eric Joseph Esoda, president and CEO of NEPIRC. The Dream Team Ambassador program has also exceeded the expectations of students and school administrators from throughout the region. “The Dream Team program has exceeded every expectation and goal set forth since its inception. Through student surveys and positive feedback from school administrators, the Dream Team has proved successful in its objective to change the conversation and perception regarding modern manufacturing careers,” said Jenelle Osborne, Dream Team program coordinator. “Every school our Dream Team has been involved with in either classroom presentations or career exploration days has asked us to come back again to speak to another group of students or participate in an upcoming career fair.” Gabrielle Pidgeon, career counselor at the Carbondale Area High School, has had several interactions with Dream Team Ambassadors. She sees firsthand the positive impact the program is having on her students. “I’ve seen how NEPIRC’s Dream Team Ambassadors are connecting with our students in a real way. To date, our school has engaged with the Dream Team several times, with additional presentations scheduled for this school year. The first Dream Team engagement at Carbondale High School consisted of an ambassador coming in to speak with a small group of students. That student group had such a positive response to the presentation. It also helped reframe my thinking of what manufacturing is, so it was a learning experience for all of us in the room that day,” said Pidgeon. “As a result of the numerous Dream Team visits, the Carbondale High School students are having real conversations with the ambassadors instead of just listening to someone talk to them.” Ambassadors typically bring samples of their company’s products with them — including cans, boxes, military helmets, or sections of heavy construction cables — to the classroom and career exploration day events to help spur interest and conversations with the students. Ask any ambassador and they will say they benefit from the student interactions as much as the students do. Dream Team Ambassador Max McCabe, project manager at Cheetah Chassis in Berwick, had the opportunity to speak with high school students at Northwest Area High School where his grandfather was once the principal. He credits his grandfather’s strong work ethic along with his mother’s advice for the reasons behind pursuing a career in manufacturing. McCabe knows the future of manufacturing in the region rests on the interest of today’s high school students pursuing careers with manufacturing companies. “I think it’s important to recognize that if I am going to have a future in manufacturing, I will need the generations after me to be interested as well. That means getting out there and showing people what goes on in the factories and what type of great opportunities are available to them. I take pride in being a voice that advocates for manufacturing careers, and being an ambassador is a great way to do it,” said McCabe. The PA Department of Education recognized the Dream Team’s efforts and invited NEPIRC to present during a virtual Career Ready PA Coalition Best Practices seminar last June. “The Career Ready PA Coalition team serves to support career and workforce readiness opportunities across the state. Their connections are invaluable in creating awareness statewide to build career pathways for all learners. Our topic of discussion was ‘NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team: An Innovative Approach to Career Exploration and Awareness,’ where we shared the Dream Team’s objectives to raise awareness of the amazing products made in our region, modern technologies used by manufacturing companies and the great careers available in the manufacturing sector,” said Esoda. The Dream Team program gained an overwhelming amount of support from school districts and manufacturing companies in year one. The program has also formed partnerships with multiple regional economic development and workforce partners, including the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement, the Berwick Industrial Development Association, the Lackawanna County Workforce Investment & Opportunity Act Board and the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission. The Dream Team was also recognized as a best practice at conferences led by the Northeast Intermediate Unit (NEIU) 18 as well as the PA Department of Education. NEPIRC’s school outreach efforts are made possible by the Pennsylvania Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant approved by the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) in 2022. Information about the NEPIRC Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team Program can be found on the program’s new website, NEPIRC.com/DreamTeam. School faculty and administrators interested in having a Dream Team Ambassador speak at a career fair, at a specific classroom or other school event should contact Jenelle Osborne, Dream Team project coordinator, via email at Jenelle@NEPIRC.com.
Scranton Resident Joins Lackawanna College Faculty Brianna Florovito was born and raised in Archbald and currently lives in Scranton. She is a new instructor in Lackawanna College’s business division. Her first day in the classroom will be Monday, January 22. “I am excited for this new opportunity,” said Florovito. “I am passionate about helping people figure out what they truly want to pursue in life.”Florovito is a graduate of Valley View High School, Rutgers University, and Wilkes University, Wilkes University. During her education, she spent time studying at Budapest Hungary Central European University.
NEPA Alliance Announces New Staff Member Jeffrey Box, President & CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, is pleased to announce that Madison Kuzdro has joined the NEPA staff as an Accountant. Madison will be responsible for performing accounting functions for all of NEPA’s financial activities and subsidiaries. Madison earned a dual major in Accounting and Financial Planning and a Minor in Forensic Accounting from Marywood University. She resides in Peckville.
Dress for Success Lackawanna: Honor Women Making An Impact Campaign Join Dress for Success Lackawanna on Friday, March 8, 2024, at 8:30 am at the Scranton Hilton & Conference Center as we partner with The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce to celebrate inspirational women in northeastern Pennsylvania. Our annual Women Making an Impact campaign, held during Women’s History Month, honors local women in our region who inspire inclusion, and influence others by making a positive impact within their organization or community. This is an exciting opportunity to show your recognition and support by sponsoring a woman you know who is making an impact. At the International Women’s Day breakfast event, Dress for Success Lackawanna will be highlighting 31 impactful women from the six counties that we serve. $500 “INSPIRE” Sponsorship includes: Honoree nominee (1) Honoree recognition in pre and post-event promotion, website & social media Honoree complimentary ticket (1) to the International Women’s Day Breakfast Recognition at our 25th Anniversary Celebration Event on May 16th, 2024 Please submit your sponsorship by Friday, January 26th, 2024. Should you have any questions, please reach out to me at 570-941-0339 or email me at lackawanna@dressforsuccess.org. Thank you for helping the women in our community receive the recognition they deserve! Link to nomination form here: https://bit.ly/HonoreeRegistration
Marion Munley Presents at the American Association of Justice’s Truck Litigation Marion Munley of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys recently presented at the American Association of Justice’s (AAJ) Truck Litigation Group Members Only Meeting in Florida on “Rule of 3.” Widely recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent and widely respected truck accident lawyers, Marion is Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, Civil Practice, and Truck Law. Marion has earned an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale- Hubbell, the industry’s highest ethical and client satisfaction rating. A leader in the legal community, Marion is an active member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and currently serves as its Treasurer. Marion was the first woman to become Chair of the AAJ Trucking Litigation Group in 2018 and is a past chair of the AAJ Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. Marion is the second woman in Pennsylvania to become Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Among her other professional affiliations are the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Society of Barristers, and the Summit Council, an exclusive group of today’s top civil justice attorneys committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt by corporate wrongdoing, and to the protection of the civil justice system. During her career, Marion has received some of the highest honors a lawyer can receive. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2012, Marion has been named the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She has also been recognized as Best Lawyers® 2022 and 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania and 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury-Plaintiffs for the Allentown metro area. Marion has also been selected to the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for the last 18 years and was recently named to the 2023 “Top 10” Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. A graduate of Temple University School of Law (J.D., 1986), Marion received her undergraduate degree from Scranton University in 1983.
SWB RailRiders Game Day Staff Job Fair The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will hold a game day staff job fair on Saturday, February 10, in the club level at PNC Field from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. The 2024 home opener is set for April 2 and the RailRiders are seeking game day employees for the upcoming season. Prospective employees will fill out applications, and the front office staff will do interviews on the spot during the job fair. “Game day employees are vital to our fan experience at PNC Field,” said Katie Beekman, the General Manager of the RailRiders. “Customer service is a key component during every game and event. We are looking for dedicated individuals who will take pride in working at the ballpark.” Interviews for game day staff will begin at 10 A.M. and will run until approximately 2 P.M. The RailRiders are looking for game day employees to fill numerous roles within the organization. Game day staff includes bat boys/ girls, ball boys/ girls, premium level attendants, EMTs, grounds crew, parking attendants, video/ production assistants, ticket sales representatives, ticket takers, and ushers. The team is also looking for members of the Pinstripe Patrol, the RailRiders on-field promotions crew, as well as fun zone employees. Legends Hospitality, the official catering, concessions, and merchandise provider of the RailRiders, will also conduct interviews on February 10. Legends is seeking concession supervisors, stand leads, cooks, warehouse runners, dishwashers, and cashiers. In addition, Legends will hire bartenders, suite attendants, club attendants, and retail associates. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age with working papers. Individuals will choose the open position that best suits their interests or needs, but may be considered for other positions based on availability. The Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and Legends Hospitality are equal opportunity employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class. For more information, contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-BALL or visit swbrailriders.com.
