GRAFTON – Three lawsuits have been filed against Home Away From Home Assisted Living LLC after three employees claim their employments were wrongfully terminated.
Karen L. Bolyard, David W. Bolyard Jr. and Franklin M. Jennings were also named as defendants in the suit.
Angela Gainer, Carolyn D. Sheme and Angela Mayle were employed by HAFHAL—Gainer and Sheme as officer managers and Mayle as a part-time cook, according to three complaints filed May 27 in Taylor Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs claim HAFHAL had several problems that interfered with the care that the patients received and with the ability of the employees to provide patient care that was not timely remedied by the owners of HWFHAL or its owners, in spite of being repeatedly notified of such by the employees.
Since many of the issues raised to the employers were violations of regulations concerning the operation of HAFHAL, the Office of Health Facility Licensure & Certification was contacted on May 27, 2015, and they were redirected to Adult Protective Services, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim after the call was made, the defendants fired them.
It is against West Virginia public policy for an employer to terminate an employee seeking the employer’s compliance with state licensure rules and federal certification concerning a licensed facility caring for the elderly, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants defamed their character with actual malice and negligence.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by LaVerne Sweeney.
Taylor Circuit Court case numbers: 16-C-23, 16-C-24, 16-C-25