Roswell Park / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
Wigdor LLP has filed two additional complaints on behalf of Terry Kearney, a nurse at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), and Xantipple Conerly, a call center specialist at RPCI, in claims of racial discrimination and retaliation against the Institute, Amanda Englert, the Assistant Director for Pre- & Post-Operative Services and Administrator for Cardiology and EKG who directly supervised Ms. Kearney, and Susan Pike, an Operation Manager who directly supervised Ms. Conerly.
Ms. Kearney was hired by Roswell Park in 2012 and is the only black Registered Nurse at RPCI. She alleges that she was regularly subjected to a hostile and discriminatory work environment by Ms. Englert. Further, the complaint alleges that Ms. Kearney was often subjected to discriminatory conduct in ways that compromised patient care, such as requiring Ms. Kearney to step away from important tasks that ensured patient safety in favor of unnecessary tasks, for the sole purpose of embarrassing Ms. Kearney.
Moreover, the complaint alleges that Ms. Kearney repeatedly complained about the foregoing issues to Ms. Englert and other administrators at RPCI. It is alleged that her complaints were repeatedly ignored, and not only did the pattern of racism and dangerous patient care at RPCI continue, but also Ms. Kearney was put on administrative leave in a blatant act of retaliation. She remains on unpaid administrative leave to this day.
Ms. Conerly was hired by Roswell Park in 2007 and alleges that she was also subject to continuous racial animus by her supervisor. In the complaint Ms. Conerly alleges that she was regularly subjected to blatantly racist comments by Ms. Pike, including, “Every time I turn around, it looks as if all of the Black People are coming to your desk”. The complaint alleges that despite being assigned to a new supervisor following a medical leave of absence, the pattern of racial discrimination and retaliation against Ms. Conerly continued, and eventually she was demoted from team leader to associate, and had her administrative privileges revoked and her laptop taken away. Despite encouragement from RPCI’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion to file a complaint with the EEOC, the terms of Ms. Conerly’s employment status remained changed, her administrative rights have not been reinstated, and her laptop has not been returned.
The plaintiffs are represented by Jeanne Christensen, a Partner at Wigdor LLP, and Michael Willemin, a Senior Associate. Michael Willemin said of the recent filings:
“Their allegations collectively demonstrate a disturbing pattern and practice of race discrimination at Roswell Park.”
In addition to the individuals referenced above, Wigdor LLP also currently represents Dr. Willie Underwood, a urologist at RPCI who filed a complaint earlier this year alleging racial discrimination against the Institute.The Buffalo News
“Two employees allege racial discrimination in lawsuits against Roswell Park”
July 10, 2017
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Spectrum News
“Roswell Park employees file racial discrimination lawsuits”
June 21, 2017
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