By WILL WHATLEY, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The former head of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners (ABME) has filed suit against his former employer along with the Medical Association of Alabama (MASA) for $10 million in damages.
Norris Green, who served as executive director of the Board of Medical Examiners from January to September 2017, is suing on the grounds of breach of implied contract, interference with employment relationship, and violation of privacy and due process. He alleges a “malicious conspiracy” by current and former board members of both ABME and MASA to end his employment and violate his 14th Amendment right to due process.
The primary purpose of the Board of Medical Examiners is to issue recommendations regarding certificates of qualification and investigate anyone practicing medicine without a license, and to regulate physicians to insure they are engaged in the competent practice of medicine for the protection of Alabamians seeking medical services. MASA is a private professional trade organization that lobbies on behalf of doctors.
Read: Green v State Board of Medical Examiners
Green alleges that certain MASA and ABME board members and employees spread false accusations and defamatory rumors that eventually lead to his dismissal.
Specifically, he alleges the ABME has a culture of “self indulgence.” According to the suit, Green alleges that the previous executive director told him that he “should not have to deal with some of the problems left behind.”
In an attempt to rein in these problems, Green proposed changes to reimbursement for continuing medical education and travel of ABME board members, some of whom were being reimbursed to $10,000. He also alleges he was fired prior to a retreat on Oct. 17, 2017, where these changes were supposed to be considered.
Among other allegations by Green are that ABME and MASA were each paying one employee for doing the same job in violation of state law. Additionally, Green alleges in the suit that because MASA controls the rotation of ABME, many are kept on the board “in an almost perpetual arrangement based on their willingness to support the Medical Association agenda.”
Efforts to reach Norris Green were unsuccessful. Green’s attorney and brother Kinsey Green did not return calls requesting comment.
“We are not real sure why we were included in the lawsuit,” said MASA Executive Director Mark Jackson.
“Norris didn’t work for us. I wasn’t involved in his termination nor was anybody at the Medical Association. We’re still in the process of analyzing it, but our first thought is that it was improper to include us in the lawsuit.”
Prior to his employment with the ABME, Green served in the Alabama Legislative Fiscal Office from 1976 until 2015. In July 2015, he left the Legislative Fiscal Office to become ABME associate executive director.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Northern Division.