I have an employee that claims to have issue with the attitude of her office manager, says that she is childish, unprofessional, and unfair. This is revolving around the employee taking time off to take care of her kids during the COVID pandemic. She emails me directly, because the employee has “unfriended” my office manager on facebook, and hasn’t called or emailed since. My question is: going over my head – this is not the first time – because she has issues that are unfounded (I have talked to office manager after this, and there was no mention of any attitude put across). My feeling is that the employee is interpreting the office manager’s actions as “childish, unprofessional, and unfair”. Is that a fair assessment? Should I really tolerate this type of behavior on behalf of employees going over the head of the office manager in this manner? Should I say stay home, and fire her for insubordination? Am I just being fueled by the drama and her fear of going back to work under this manager? Should I share it with the office manager, the text of the email?
Here is the full email without any identifying characters in it:
I wanted to reach out to you and share some concerns. I will be coming back soon and would like to come back with no frustrations or negativity. I figured maybe better to reach out to get this issue straightened out now instead coming back with more tension in the office.

I am reaching out to you with some concerns.

My first concern is treatment/retaliation. When I had announced I had to go out because kids needed me home while doing online learning, the behavior and treatment I received was very unfair and unprofessional from our office manager. I recall the last day I was there and the childish behavior/treatment I received.
My vacation or personal time that I have not used, should not be taken from me or prorated that is not fair to me. This was not a vacation. Parks, campgrounds, and beaches and traveling were all closed or banned. I was confined to my home with my kids helping them with their schoolwork online due to schools being closed because of the Pandemic. If it wasn’t for the Covid 19 Pandemic I would have been at work all this time. I should not receive any retaliation or punishment for being out during that time.
According to Family First Care Act I should not lose my time I have. If you are going to pursue taking my time I have earned I would like it in writing please.

I have been an employee for you for 4 years as of September 2020. I have, I believe proven to be reliable and a good employee. I enjoy my job and what I do for your practice. I genuinely care about the practice and the patients. I am only reaching out because given the circumstances that I have with office manager I do not want to be blind sided with “Amy we need to talk, your vacation time will be prorated for the year because you have been out all this time.” That would not be fair to me. This pandemic has had a negative affect on everyone in some sort of way. My daughter senior year, my brother inlaw can’t come home from California to see our daughter graduate and be there for her. Trips have been cancelled, plans have been cancelled. My step-father has lost a family member due to the virus and has another who is not well due to the virus. And I have a medical issue that will need to be taken care of that has come up and will require surgery. This year is not easy for anyone. I do have a time off request in week of graduation, we have a camping trip planned it has been booked since last year.

I am anxious and have been anxious to get back to work. I am hoping we can resolve the issue and move forward.