Avante at Lake Worth (Fla.) Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing fired Jean-Junior Vertu and Marie Julceus in May and early June, citing a policy violation because the employees came to work while infected with COVID-19, according to the employees and their union, which has filed grievances over the dismissals.
Both Mr. Vertu and Ms. Julceus had received a routine COVID-19 test at their other jobs and continued working while waiting for the results. Both say they had had no symptoms.
“They call me a criminal. It’s terrible,” said Mr. Vertu.
John Hornack, general counsel at Avante Group, said the company couldn’t comment because the union grievance was pending.
Recent research shows that Lake Worth-based Oasis Health and Rehabilitation Center, where Ms. Julceus worked nights, is connected via shared staff to 25 other “high-risk” facilities that have also had outbreaks.
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