An Florala nursing facility is battling an action by former employees of color who claim that they were subjected to racism from their coworkers as well as residents of the home.
According to the lawsuit, black employees were frequently called racial slurs made by others in Florala Health and Rehabilitation. The lawsuit was filed by a certified nurse Cassandra Westry, and eight certified nursing assistants Shekeya Thomas Angelia Williams Kierra Blue Keonna Crittenden Chantel Mayes Melissa Hobdy, Courtney Love, and Michele Carswell. The suit refers to the assisted living facility as an “racially intolerant” as well as a “retaliatory hostile” work environment that is in violation of federal laws against discrimination.
This group is represented by lawyers Artur Davis as well as Brian Noble who said the women were subjected to a variety of racist remarks by residents. They also claimed staff members of whites did not acknowledge or minimize the racism and management failed to take the appropriate steps.
The lawsuit also declares that there were instances of physical abuse, with one employee gripping a black employee’s hair with the hair, and another employee being attacked with a knife.
The suit also reveals that black residents were subject to discriminatory acts. “Compounding the discrimination against black employees on the basis of race Some plaintiffs have experienced unfair and unjust conditions directed at black patients in Florala Rehabilitation, some of who are forced to suffer in poor and in poor environment,” it states in the complaint.
The suit alleges it was the case that an African American patient was left naked on the floor for a number of hours by white workers, as well, when the patient made an official suit on behalf the person she was retaliated against by having her schedule altered and causing disruption to the schedule for her children’s school transportation.
Other plaintiffs claimed that they were faced with reprisal when they complained about discrimination and one was fired, as per the suit.
Florala Health and Rehabilitation is operated by NHS Management, LLC, which manages centers located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Missouri. Plaintiffs claimed that multiple written complaints regarding racism in the facility were submitted by NHS Management, but that the incidents were not looked into.
This complaint was made in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. According to lawyers representing the plaintiffs, it was filed in federal court as Alabama is one of the five states that do not have the civil rights laws and is also deficient in other laws that protect employees at work.
The plaintiffs have requested the jury to conduct a trial.
The article Employees bring suit against Florala funeral home over allegations of discrimination based on race was first reported in The Andalusia Star-News.
