NPR's Jarl Mohn Taking Medical Leave

Jarl Mohn

PR President Jarl Mohn is taking a medical leave while dealing with the aftermath of a sexual harassment scandal at the nonprofit radio service that resulted in the firing of a top news executive, reports The LA Times.

Mohn said his leave, which is expected to last at least a month, is related to a burst aorta he suffered earlier this year that required him to undergo open heart surgery.

“As many of you know, last March I suffered a nearly fatal ruptured aorta,” Mohn wrote in a memo sent to NPR staff Tuesday and obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

“I returned to work with the blessing of my physician with one important caveat — I cannot allow my blood pressure to rise. Regretfully, the hypertension has returned to a dangerous level, and I have been instructed to take medical leave until my health returns to normal, at a minimum of four weeks.”

Chief Operating Officer Loren Mayor will manage day-to-day operations in Mohn’s absence.