Former employee files lawsuit against MVH
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
A former Mon Valley Hospital therapeutic recreational specialist is suing the hospital in federal court, alleging he was fired following “racially motivated discrimination” during a situation involving an N-95 mask.
A complaint filed by attorneys representing Garnett Henderson of Donora says that Henderson, who is Black and worked for MVH for more than 20 years, was singled out by hospital workers for wearing what they felt was the wrong kind of mask, while other white hospital workers weren’t reprimanded or disciplined for allegedly not wearing a mask at all, or wearing them incorrectly.
N-95 masks are approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“We have not been formally served, but based on what we have heard — the hospital believes this is a meritless lawsuit as evidenced by the previous dismissal of the charges by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the denial of unemployment benefits by the State of Pennsylvania,” MVH said in an emailed statement to the Mon Valley Independent Tuesday afternoon. “The hospital plans to vigorously defend itself against this frivolous lawsuit and all of its baseless claims.”
Henderson filed a charge with the EEOC regarding his allegations and received a dismissal and Notice of Rights on May 19, 2021.
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