Quantcast

WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Hinton man accuses Appalachian Regional Healthcare of discrimination

Discrimination 04

Adobe Stock

WELCH – A Hinton man is suing Appalachian Regional Healthcare after he claims it discriminated against him based on his race and age.

Wes Dangerfield, an employee of ARH, was also named as a defendant in the suit.

Chris Pack is a African-American man over the age of 40 who was employed by ARH from 1994 to June 3, according to a complaint filed Sept. 7 in McDowell Circuit Court.

Pack claims he had experience and training in the hospital industry and was the defendants’ Director of Laboratory Services at the time of his termination from employment and his earnings with ARH annually reached a high of approximately $61,000 per year plus benefits.

During the plaintiff’s employment, Dangerfield subjected him and other co-workers to age and racial discrimination unreasonably interfering with their work performance and created an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment, according to the suit.

Pack claims the defendants also tolerated age and racial discrimination perpetrated against him.

Dangerfield’s actions caused Pack severe mental anguish and emotional distress and after his employment was terminated, he was replaced with a white employee, according to the suit.

Pack claims he was also not warned previously regarding the conduct he was pre-textually terminated for.

When Pack filed a claim for unemployment, the Board of Review for Workforce West Virginia determined he was not fully disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits as he did not commit any misconduct or deliberately violate a policy of the employer, according to the suit.

Pack claims the defendants failed to follow their own personnel and disciplinary policies contained in ARH’s employee handbook.

Pack is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is being represented by John Einreinhofer of the Law Offices of John Einreinhofer.

McDowell Circuit Court case number: 16-C-104

More News