Nine Black nursing professionals filed a civil lawsuit for unlawful race discrimination after claiming they endured hellish, bigoted conditions at an Alabama assisted living facility where they were the victims of several instances of racial abuse and harassment.
According to the lawsuit obtained by Atlanta Black Star, the women allege that they have been “subjected to a racially discriminatory hostile environment that encompasses racial slurs by coworkers, racially tinged taunts and verbal abuse, and unequal enforcement of disciplinary rules” at Florala Health and Rehabilitation.
Shekeya Thomas, Angelia Williams, Kierra Blue, Keonna Crittenden, Cassandra Westry, Chantel Mayes, Melissa Hobdy, Courtney Love, and Michelle Carswell are named as plaintiffs in the suit.
The suit is filled with a compilation of experiences and interactions these women say they have undergone with staff and residents alike where they were overtly referred to as “n****rs” and “slave girls” numerous times. One of the plaintiffs even overheard a white coworker say, “These black girls need to service their people like the slaves they are.”
Another white coworker was heard telling another staff member, “You’ve got to be kidding me. I have to work short every night and those motherf***ing n****rs have three down here!” the complaint details.
The suit states that the use of racial epithets against Black personnel is commonplace at the nursing home.
There is even reportedly a group chat among the facility’s white supervisors and select white staffers that is filled with racist commentary about the Black staff members, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs allege even the residents have made statements that white supervisors have repeated, including, “I’m allergic to Black people,” “Colored people can’t come in my room,” and “Blacks aren’t meant to serve.”
One instance reportedly escalated to a physical altercation where a white coworker pulled Crittenden’s hair and called her “horsehead.” A white supervisor also made Hobdy continue serving as a caregiver of a white patient who assaulted her with a makeshift knife.
There are also regular reports of “white staffers leaving Black residents neglected, unbathed, and without proper clothing and medication,” the suit states.
Shekeya Thomas reported that her white coworkers left a Black, 105-pound patient naked on the floor for hours. When she filed a formal complaint, no corrective measures were instituted, and no investigation was launched. Instead, Thomas’ work schedule changed, which impacted her ability to take her children to school.
The plaintiffs are seeking relief in the form of compensatory and punitive damages, a formal and permanent prohibition of discriminatory treatment at Florala Health and Rehabilitation, and the implementation of policies for equal employment opportunities.
The suit states that Black employees occupy the lower-paying certified nursing assistant (CNA) jobs. Cassandra Westry is the only Black registered nurse at the facility. The other eight plaintiffs are CNAs. There are also fewer opportunities for Black staffers to work shifts where they’ll get paid overtime, and white staffers frequently exert authority even though they hold no supervisory roles.
According to Census Reporter, Florala is a town in Covington County, Alabama, with a population of nearly 1,800 people. The town’s population is 74 percent white and 24 percent Black.
