Here are nine things to know.
1. The lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court, came from Helen Whitehurst, who worked as an EMT dispatcher at SIUH.
2. Defendants cited by the Staten Island Advance include North Shore-LIJ Health System, now part of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, George Gresham of the Service Employees International Union, and Ms. Whitehurst’s former supervisor, Melissa Hamm of United Healthcare Workers East.
3. In the lawsuit, Ms. Whitehurst claims she has Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and was wrongfully terminated for falling asleep twice on the job, according to the report.
4. The lawsuit stems from incidents in 2014. The complaint states at that time, Ms. Whitehurst had taken a telecommunications operator position, and Ms. Hamm on two occasions saw Ms. Whitehurst fall asleep for a brief period, according to the report.
5. Following the incidents, the suit contends Ms. Whitehurst was told she would be fired for not following the conditions of her 90-day probation. The probation was negotiated by SEIU when the hospital moved work to Long Island and offered Ms. Whitehurst the telecommunications operator role.
6. According to the report, the lawsuit claims the union later refused a request from Ms. Whitehurst to file a grievance on her behalf.
7. The complaint contends Ms. Whitehurst challenged the union’s decision with the National Labor Relations Board, and a grievance was ultimately filed, although the hospital allegedly denied it due to Ms. Whitehurst’s “probationary” status, reports the Staten Island Advance. The suit reportedly goes on to contend Ms. Whitehurst was refused arbitration when she appealed the decision.
8. Ms. Whitehurst ultimately seeks $10 million, back pay and front pay, as well as her job back, the report states.
9. Ms. Whitehurst’s attorney did not return the Staten Island Advance‘s request for comment. Becker’s reached out to Northwell Health and will post additional details as they become available.
