Your collection dollars at work

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Aug 05, 2004

Bishop Thomas Dupre of Springfield, Massachusetts resigned suddenly in February, leaving town just as lawyers were preparing to file papers in connection with sex-abuse complaints against him. Explaining that his health problems made it impossible to continue in office, Bishop Dupre headed to Maryland, where he checked into the St. Luke Institute-- a place not known for treating cancer and heart disease.

Now the local paper reports: "Dupre had been receiving treatment at St. Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md., at least into the summer. It is not known if he remains there. He has had no official contact with the diocese since his departure."

Psychiatric care at a residentiall facility is expensive; costs can easily run up to $1,000 a day.

How long do you suppose your employer would continue paying your bills, if you spent several months at a psychiatric facility, without any "official contact" with the firm?