Hospital worker fired five days after reporting a racist joke will have case decided by a jury
During her 13 year tenure with Shady Grove Hospital, Sakina Mengle won awards and commendations for her outstanding service to patients. Five days after she complained about a racist joke told by a coworker, she was fired. Shady Grove claimed that she was terminated as part of a reduction in force, but on April 18, 2017 U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis ruled that there was enough evidence presented for a jury to reject that explanation and instead find that Ms. Mengle’s complaint of discrimination and/or her race were the real reasons she was fired. The Court cited evidence proving that the Hospital could have met its documented staffing goals without firing Ms. Mengle (or any other employee), but selected Ms. Mengle for layoff soon after learning of her complaint of racial discrimination. The court scheduled trial in the case for November 2017. Ms. Mengle is represented by Heller Huron partners Susan Huhta and Richard Salzman.