The warning came shortly after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastated parts of the country
A US healthcare company has come under fire after a manager at its Colombian operation was filmed warning employees that they could face consequences for leaving work during the deadly earthquake.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing more than 200 people and leaving thousands missing. Buildings collapsed and infrastructure was damaged across several cities, prompting the government to declare a national disaster.
A video from the Medellin operation of Florida-based Blackstone Medical Services went viral after showing a manager identified by local media as Jack Munoz addressing employees shortly after the earthquake.
“I’m not going to give you the order to leave: whoever wants to leave can leave, but if nothing happens today, you will have to answer for abandoning your post,” Munoz is heard saying.
🇨🇴🚨 INDIGNANTE: ¡No los dejaron evacuar tras el terremoto!
La empresa Blackstone Medical Services Colombia ha generado polémica luego de que se viralizara la respuesta de un jefe a sus empleados.
Trabajadores denuncian que fueron amenazados con ser despedidos por “abandono… pic.twitter.com/rzHDnbmjji
The footage prompted criticism online, with users accusing the company of mistreating staff and flooding its Google profile with negative reviews, La Razon reported.
The row also drew the attention of Colombian political figures. Former Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino called for an immediate intervention by the Labor Ministry, claiming that employees who spoke out about the incident face possible disciplinary action.
“This cannot go unpunished,” Sanguino wrote on X, urging the authorities to provide assistance to the workers.
Blackstone founder and CEO Vick Tipnes pushed back against criticism of the company. He said the earthquake struck Medellin at around 7:30 AM, before the company’s normal 9 AM opening time, and that around 90% of its employees were not at the office when the earthquake occurred.
According to Tipnes, the employees who were present were evacuated and the building was inspected before staff returned to work.
Blackstone Medical Services is a US healthcare company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Founded in 2012, it specializes in home testing for obstructive sleep apnea. Its Colombian operation provides clinical and administrative support to the company’s US business, including customer service, sales, logistics, medical authorizations, and collections.
