On Nov. 1, the hospital commission voted to terminate the CEO Angie Shaw, and appointed human resources director Jodi Edmonson as interim CEO. Several days later, the commission also terminated the chief nursing officer, Jessica Petrino. Ms. Shaw later told a local news outlet that her firing followed harassment complaints from several staff members about the CFO, Cynthia Asbury, which she reported to the commission.
The former executives claim their terminations were retaliatory after they reported violations of the hospital’s unlawful harassment policy and violence in the workplace policy by Ms. Asbury, according to the lawsuits, which were filed Dec. 6 in Carroll County Circuit Court and obtained by the Eureka Springs Times-Echo and Eureka Springs Independent.
The lawsuits also allege that Kent Turner, chair of the hospital commission, and vice-chair Barbara Dicks, violated workplace violence and unlawful harassment policies. The filings claim that Ms. Shaw and Ms. Petrino led a group of employees Oct. 25 to present grievances about Ms. Asbury, Mr. Turner and Ms. Dicks. Both women were fired without notice shortly after. They assert they had no prior disciplinary records and were no given reasons for their terminations.
Other key leaders, including the hospital’s lab director and emergency department manager, resigned following the leadership shakeup.
Mr. Turner and Ms. Dicks reportedly exchanged messages surrounding Ms. Shaw’s employment several months before she was terminated, according to text messages obtained by the Times-Echo through a Freedom of Information Act request. Arkansas state law prohibits commissioners from discussing business matters outside of the full commission.
The plaintiffs are seeking their annual salaries, sick leave, vacation benefits and attorney’s fees in damages. Alternatively, they request reinstatement to their jobs.
Becker’s has reached out to Eureka Springs Hospital and will update the report if more information becomes available.
