Danville Regional sued by ex-worker
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By Staff
Published: November 14, 2008
A Pittsylvania County woman, and former employee of Danville Regional Medical Center, is suing the hospital for sex discrimination, being a hostile work environment and breach of contract.
Marsha Rittenhouse claims the hospital fired her on April 7, saying she had violated the hospital’s code of conduct for attending a masquerade ball in February.
Rittenhouse claims males working for Danville Regional, however, were not disciplined for breaches in the same code. She also claims in the suit that she was regularly subjected to offensive sexually explicit comments from staff members, including the chief executive officer of the hospital.
The suit filed in Federal Court late Friday afternoon claims the repeated offensive and sexual comments “constituted unlawful sexual harassment and rendered Rittenhouse’s employment environment hostile.”
Rittenhouse also claims the hospital owes her for bonuses, totaling $7,500, earned before her termination. The suit asks she be paid the bonuses, plus $200,000 in compensatory damages and $200,000 in punitive damages. She has asked for a jury trial.
W. Huntington Byrnes, of Clement & Wheatley, is Rittenhouse’s attorney.
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Posted by ( FW ) on November 24, 2008 at 9:48 am
I would hope that Marlene knows there are a lot of great nurses working at DRMC, both MALE and FEMALE. Marlene’s comments are extremely sexist as they appear to indicate all nurses are women. Tisk, tisk, tisk. For shame. My comments, if you will please read them fully, suggest that a nurse that may dress as Hitler could be in violation of a code of conduct and could also be VERY offensive to many people. Now the last time I saw a good show on WWII on the Discovery Channel, Hitler was a man. Unless there are some really homely looking female nurses that could pass as a man, then I think a male nurse was the most obvious choice for the employee at the party. And yes, even men can show too much skin. I don’t work at Danville and never have. I just don’t like the way the paper and our fine citizens seem to gang up on the place. If it closes, we are all in trouble. If you think that place will always be open, no matter how bad the business, then you are sadly mistaken.
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Posted by ( Marlene ) on November 22, 2008 at 1:56 pm
The article says nothing about Rittenhouse being a nurse. Do you know her? Sounds like someone in the hospital’s administration trying to take the pressure off of themselves. It is up to the jury to decide now. I am sure there will be some interesting discoveries that comes out about male members of Lifepoint management across the country and whether they uphold the code of conduct. Should not have one set of rules for males and another for females.
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Posted by ( FW ) on November 21, 2008 at 4:33 pm
The ambulance chasers are asking for $400,000 in the suit. Are nurses worth that kinda money these days? I am going back to school. Better yet, I think I will get a job at the hosptial, go to a party half naked, then get a lawyer and sue the hospital for almost a half a million bucks. Man, what a racket.
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Posted by ( FW ) on November 18, 2008 at 5:20 pm
I love how this article makes it appear that someone was terminated simply because they attended a party. Is it even remotely possible this person MAY have come dressed in something that just might be offensive to the fine folks of Danville? Hey, was she half naked, dressed like Hitler, or, God Forbid, Elvira Mistress of the Dark? I am no prude but if one of my employees offends my customers by doing something as foolish as showing off just a tad bit too much skin, then I would fire them on the spot for being a moron.
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Posted by ( medic213 ) on November 18, 2008 at 9:57 am
There is only one God, and DRMC is not one. They should humanize themselves.
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Posted by ( Marlene ) on November 15, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I am delighted to see that someone is finally taking a stand against the misbehavior of DRMC’s management. The degrading of the employees of the hospital needs to stop.
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Posted by ( Tina ) on November 15, 2008 at 9:55 am
Softball23 and any others that may have been treated this way by DRMC should contact this lady’s attorney so that you can all stand up to this kind of mistreatment. It’s a shame that women today are going through such offenses. I hope that she gets all that she is asking for and that others will stand by her and possibly get the same.
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Posted by ( Softball23 ) on November 15, 2008 at 8:46 am
I know several people who are scared as I was. But, as for the lady that has spoken out. I hope she is very well compensated. There are so many people including terrific, dedicated supervisors & hourly employees who are no longer there deserve to see some members of the hospital pay for the way that they treat people. They worked very hard to make things run in a more effective manner. But, were put down for doing the right thing and not covering up for someone that was doing things wrong & unethical. Let’s just keep praying for all the great employees who still work there that care about this community and want to do the right thing.
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Posted by ( Marlene ) on November 15, 2008 at 8:22 am
I hope that you are able to be well compensated for how you were treated. Hopefully this lawsuit will allow DRMC to see that such behavior will not be tolerated. I worked in an environment at the hospital that was hostile as well. But I knew that if I spoke up, I would not have a job. So maybe this will help matters at the hospital.
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Posted by ( Softball23 ) on November 15, 2008 at 8:06 am
I am glad someone is finally standing up to some of the people at the hospital. There are several departments that have very hostile environments. The department I use to work in I believe is one of the worse. I know there has to be order in a place of business. But, to talk & treat your employees like trash is unexceptable. People are afraid of retaliation since that is how some of these people work. We are all suppose to be a team(every department)by providing the best care possible. But, It is impossible to be a team when a supervisor or the person in charge thinks it is their way (even if their way is wrong)or no way. Well, it is not suppose to be their way. It should be done the professional & the right way. There have been several instances that have been reported to HR & other administrators to no prevail. We all need to pray to The Lord for our hospital. Also, that the right people will take charge to help the good employees that are still hanging in there to make our hospital a terrific & respectful place to go.
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