Staff suspended for leaking George Clooney medical records: WCBS Television in New York reported on Tuesday that about 40 Palisades Medical Center staffers were suspended without pay for allegedly accessing George Clooney's medical records and handing the information over to the media, violating the actor's privacy rights.

George Clooney and his passenger, Sarah Lawson, landed in the hospital on Sept. 21, after authorities said that Clooney's motorcycle collided with a car on a road in the Hudson County town across the Hudson River from New York City. Clooney suffered from a broken rib and scrapes, while Larson broke her foot.

Jeanne Oterson, spokeswoman for the union representing some of the hospital workers, said the suspension without pay will last for four weeks.

"We believe this is a harsh penalty and an overreaction," said Oterson, speaking for the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union.

The union representative also told The Associated Press that seven members of her union were among those suspended, but said they had merely gotten the records and did not leak information to anyone outside the hospital.

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