Running errands after work used to justify *threat* of disciplinary action

My partner is a dental hygienist and recently came home from work, angry and distressed, because she received a “formal letter” from her office’s head dentist threatening, disciplinary action if her workplace behaviour didn’t improve.

She was called into a meeting with her manager and the head dentist where she was essentially scolded for the frequency in which she would reschedule patients to fill gaps in her schedule, or trade patients with other hygienists.

To demonstrate why this was an issue, they showed an email exchange between management and another hygienist to my partner.
One day, my partner asked another hygienist to take on her last patient so that she could leave early for an appointment or something, and because the other hygienist had a gap in her schedule at the same time. The other hygienist said “yes”, and my partner left work early.

Another employee at the office, not involved in this exchange, allegedly then saw my partner at a nearby shopping centre, and emailed management about this. Claiming that my partner “didn’t really have an appointment”, and that exchanging her patient with another hygienist was then not justified.

My legal question then is: could using an employee’s after-hours errands-running to justify threats of disciplinary action constitute a form of workplace harassment or stalking?

Her workplace is a mess of office politics and cattiness. One of her friends at the office even told her that the head dentist went to every other dental hygienist and told them to write down any complaints they have about my partner ahead of this meeting. Seemingly to build a case.

From my perspective, it seems as though they are trying to get her to quit. I’m trying to do my best to help her benefit from this toxic environment.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!