Thanks for all of the replies. Sorry it was so confusing. All of the employees get an end of the year bonus which is around Christmas based on their job performance. These bonuses are determined by me. Everyone gets paid for the same reasons:

Hourly wage including overtime
Vacation pay
Paid holidays
One annual bonus at the end of the year

My biller gets the same except she gets what is termed a stipend. My practice consultant, without whom I never would have been able to start the business, is paid a separate salary. My practice consultant moved out of town and does everything by phone, email and text and is still just as good as she was when she was here. She does everything and interacts with accounting and my bank and Payroll. She decides when bills should be paid. I can be included on the bill payment and almost all bills are paid by check, which I have to sign, and the bank knows that. There are a few automatic withdrawals. My practice consultant has done this for over 35 years and has done the same with a total of over 50 practices with never a complaint. Anyway, there was a one part of her job that she gave over to my biller as it is more hands on. What I used to pay for that, I pay my biller. So, that is considered the stipend. The stipend is the only thing that she gets that the others don't get.

When I first discovered this, here was my thinking. My biller asked my practice consultant if she could get her bonus a little early as well as next months' bonus. And, then she would not get the following months' bonus. This is all due to her not being able to pay her mortgage. The fact that she said can I get my bonus plus next months' early led me to two conclusions. One, she is getting a bonus I am not aware of and that they seem to be monthly. Then, I thought maybe she was referring to her stipend as a bonus, but that didn't make a lot of sense just due to the definition of the term bonus. But, I asked my consultant what my biller made including the above as well as her Christmas bonus. I asked if she received any other reimbursement. I felt that wasn't too direct.

Her reply was she made the above (what the others make and how) as well as the stipend and bonuses. She then stated she barely made enough to makes ends meet and that this year she should make $7,000 more. The only increase that I know of would be her 50 cent raise. But, she did state that she gets bonuses. I guess the issue is that I don't know what these bonuses are and what they are based on. She thought I was asking because I may have wanted to give her an extra bonus.

The weird thing is payroll specifically asked my biller if the $1,000 bonus would be over and above her usual pay as if they knew nothing about it. It would also imply that her monthly bonus is $500. Which would mean $6,000 net income that I am not aware of.

While I wouldn't necessarily agree with her making a certain percentage of the charges or receivables, I could sort of understand that. But, these would fluctuate.

One thing I didn't think of is when I asked what she made and how she made it, which is a perfectly legitimate question, the PC did mention "her bonuses." So, I suppose it would be easy to say to my PC, "Thank you. That is what I thought. Except I don't know what the bonuses are for." This would mean I have a legitimate reasons to ask her other than to say, I saw this in her emails.

Unless my PC thought she was "found out" whether ethically or not," the fact that she freely stated she was paid bonuses lends credence to the fact that they are legit. Maybe not something I would approve of but nothing fishy.

My other question seems straightforward:

1. My PC has dealt directly with the bank, PayChex, accounting, employee pay and bills for 14 years. All of these entities would feel that she is the go to person and has permission to ask them anything or be in the loop, but....
2. I pay the bank, PayChex, accounting, employees and the bills.

So, should I be able to talk to accounting or PayChex and make it clear it is confidential?

This may sound cold, but I couldn't care less that she can barely make ends meet. She accepted the job and accepted her pay and gets her raises, etc. All of my employees can barely make ends meet. I mean if someone came to me and needed a small amount for something extremely important, I would front them some amount or float them a small loan which would be paid out of their weekly pay.

Bert
Pediatrics
Brewer, Maine