Courthouse News Service
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Courthouse News Service
͡ ヘ 1 P VELEZ,ESQ,(SBN 163484) A_WEBBER,ESQ,(303721) TIIE VELEZ LAⅥ /FIRM LttUく ∼ KELSEY 2 3 4 6940 Destmy Dnve Rockl二 Califomia 95677 Telephone:(916)774-2720 Facslrulc: (916)774-2730 vdezlawの live com 5 6 Attomeys for Plaintiff RANDA FANOUS 9 rv 8 ic e 7 0 Se SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OFSACRAMENT0 ew 2 s 1 RANDA FANOUS, 3 4 N Plamtl鶴 6 us 5 KAISER FOllNDAT10N HOSPITALS;THE PERⅣ 鵬NEME NIEDICAL GROUP,NC.,and l. T FOR DAMAGES Breach of Labor Code§ 1102.5 et seq.: 2. Breach of Cal.Govt.Code§ 12940; Gender Discrimination;Sexual Ⅱarassment; 3. WrOnnl Ternination lm 8 of Publc Pohcy. ou rt 7 ho Docs l‐ 50 mclusive, PLAIINTIFF'S CO■ IPL』 e VS CASE NO Defendants. C 9 [UNLIⅣ IITED CIW■ L CASE〕 J■lRY DE卜園 DED Plamtl∬ RANDAFANOUSeerehaner,``PlaintiffFANOUS')States hercomplamt against Dcfendants,KAISER FOllNDATION HOSPITALS;THE PERⅣ 幽 ENTI MEDICAL GROUP, INC,and Docsl■ rough 50,as follows PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DA■ IAGES 1 ͡ I. STATEMENT OF TIIE FACTS Plaintiff RANDA FANOUS is a resident of Sacramento, County of Sacramento and former employee of a Defendant KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAIS; THE INC., PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP, (hereinafter collectively "Defendants KATSER"). うん Defendants KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITALS; THE PERMANENTE MEDICAL a corporation doing business KAISER was at all times herein relevant, the rv the County of Sacramento. Defendants in Sacramento, Califomia, located within e is ic GROUP, INC., Se PlaintifPs "employet''as that term is defined in the Califomia Fair Employment and Housing Act, Califomia Govemment Code Section i 2900., et. seq. Defendant KAISER, had s actual and constructive notice of the wrongful conduct and harassment perpetrated upon ew Plaintiff, set forth below, had both the authority and the duty to prevent and correct the same, N failed to take reasonable action to prevent and correct the same and, by its conduct, e condoned, supported and ratified such wrongful conduct and harassment. The true names and capacities, whether individual, corporate, associate or otherwise of us D I through 20 are unknown to Plaintiffs, who therefore ho Defendants named herein as Does sues said Defendants by such fictitious names, and Plaintiffs will amend this Complaint to ou rt show their true names, involvement and capacities when the same have been ascertained. Does 1 through 25 are residents of the State of Califomia and/or have their principal place C ofbusiness in the State of California. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and on that basis allege that each of the Defendants named herein as Doe was in some manner responsible for the injuries and losses suffered by Plaintiff. 4 At al1 times herein mentioned, each ofthe Defendants was the actual and apparent agent, servant and employee ofeach of the remaining Defendants and in doing the things herein after alleged was acting within the course and scope oftheir actual and apparent agency and ernployment and with the knowledge, notification, consent and subsequent ratification PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DAⅣ 臥 GES 2 of ͡ each of the other Defendants. ξリ At all times herein relevant, Defendant KAISER owed plaintiffa duty to take all reasonable action to provide Plaintiffs with harassment and retaliation and a workplace free from unlawful discrimination, to take all reasonable action to prevent and corect discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace. Specifically, Defendant KAISER owed Plaintiffaduty: (1) to promulgate, in an effective way, policies, practices and ic e guidelines regarding employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation; (2) to provide rv effective and adequate training to managers, supervisors and employees regarding Se emplol,rnent discrimination, harassment and retaliation, how to take effective, timely and reasonable action to prevent ernployment discrimination, harassment and retaliation and, s particularly, how to handle, in a reasonable, prompt and effective manner, complaints and ew noticed situations raising issues of employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, N (3) to provide realistic assurance to anployees that Defendant KAISER was serious about e enforcing such policies against discrimination and harassment and retaliation, (4) to protect us from retaliation ernployees who made or supported discrimination, harassment orretaliation of ho complaints; (5) to conduct, in response to a complaint or actual or constructive notice discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace, a good faith, reasonable, fair ou rt and prompt investigation ofsuch complaint or in response to such notice; (6) to bring such investigation to a conclusion in a timely manner; (7) to take prompt and effective rernedial C action, where appropriate, to prevent and correct discrimination, harassment and retaliation; (8) to maintain reasonably through and adequate records regarding discrimination an, harassment and retaliation complaints, investigations, conclusions, and remedial action; and (9) to avoid engaging in and promoting actions which has the intended purpose and foreseeable effect of silencing and quashing the voices of discrimination, harassment or retaliation complainants and others who support or have supported discrimination, harassment or retaliation complaints. PLAINTIFF'S COⅣ IPLAINT FOR DAル IAGES 3 ͡ 6 Defendant I(AISERbreached the above-mentioned duties in that, at all times herein relevant, Defendant KAISER acted in a manner which it knew, should have known, and did not care to know, condoned and supported discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace. Defendant KAISER failed and refused to take reasonable action to publish and promulgate, in an effective manner, policies, practices and guidelines regarding discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Defendant KAISER failed and refused to take ic e reasonable action to provide adequate and effective training to managers, supervisors and rv ernployees regarding discrimination, harassment and retaliation, failed to effectively train harassment and retaliation, and failed to Se managers, supervisors and empl0yees regarding how to prevent employment discrimination, adequately train managers, supervisors and s employees in how to reasonably, promptly and effectively handle complaints and noticed to actual and constructive notice of and complaints regarding N KAISER responded ew situation raising issues of employmen! discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Defendant e discrimination, harassment and retaliation in a manner calculated to defend and delay, rather us than fairly and timely investigate, situation noticed and complaints regarding discrimination, harassment and retaliation, with the intended purpose and foreseeable effect of supporting at all costs, condoning and supporting discrimination, harassment ho management and ou rt retaliation. Defendant KAISER engaged in the above acts and omissions knowingly and as a matter of general business practice, without regard to the rights of employees, inciuding C PlaintiffFANOUS. 7 PlaintiffRANDA FANoUS was a longtime ernployee ofDefendants KAISER commencing her employment in 2004 as a registered nurse. From about 2004 through 2013 plaintiff FANoUS worked at the "Tele departrnent", in stoke care at Defendant's Roseville Hospital. In about June 2015, Plaintiffwas transferred to the "Wound Clinic,,at Defendant's South Sacramento Hospital. From about late 2013 through May l2,2}l4,Planritrmade several complaints over the lack PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DAⅣ IAGES 4 ͡ offproper "Stroke Scale Assessments" being performed in her department. In her May 12, 2014 complaint plaintiffreiterated the hospital's lack ofprocesses inplace to assess ,.Stroke Scale Protocols." Plaintiff informed Kaiser manager, Ruby D. Acojedo, that the department's stroke scale protocols were not being consistently adhered to in that a nurse refused to perform a stroke handoffwith training requires a her. Prudent medical procedures including Kaiser stroke care assessment and handoff. Plaintiff written complaint included: as a patient advocate and ic e "l continue to bring forth the issue ofstroke scale solely rv for fear that one day the current mediocre stroke assessment path that we appear Se to tread will be a harmful experience to all. . . .Stroke class (mandatory) with an emphasis on the importance ofsystanatic stroke scale assessment with real ofnot doing proper stroke assessment." s stories and the impact life 9 20 1 5 Defendant Kaiser, through its Department Manager, Ruby N retaliation. In about March ew Plaintiffs complaints over inadequate stroke assessment scales protocols was met with e Acejedo, issued Plaintiff a written verbal waming. This adverse emplol,rnent action us contained false accusations of co-worker conflicts on the part of Plaintiff. Plaintiff then ho provided a rritten rebuttal to Ms. Acejedo's false allegations. in her written rebuttal, plaintiff detailed her past engagernent in protected activity which was aimed at correcting ou rt deficient instances ofpatient care including instances ofpatient abuse. Defendant Kaiser had sought to "chill" plaintiff from complaining further in the Stroke Department. However, C plaintiff continued to advocate for patients. 10 Previously, on about March 2014, Plaintiffhad made a complaint of sexual harassment in the form of a stalking harassment complaint against a male co-worker, Welsey Varbick. Plaintiffwas in fear of Varbick since had proceeded on numerous occasions to stalk Plaintiff within her work environment. Plaintiff maintains that the March 2015 written waming issued to her was also in retaliation for raising her complaints of sexual harassment. 11 ln about June 28,2015 PlaintiffFANOUS transferred to Kaiser's Wound and Ostomv Center PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DANIIAGES 5 ͡ at Kaiser's South Sacrament Hospital. The wound department was managed by Lane Phillips, Dir., and Mark Kaufrnan, Assistant Director. The departrnent was "sloppy," with poor sanitization and patient safety protocols. Initially, Plaintiff rvas promised Would Classes Certification training. But that was reneged by Assistant Director Kaufman. Plaintiff went ahead and paid for her certification with her own monies. ^′4 Commencing in about early August 2015, Plaintiff FANOUS observed the following ic e instances ofgross patient care and neglect. Kaiser nurse Kathy Miller was allowed to work rv with Wound Patients. Nurse Miller was however, ill with MRSE viral infections, with open Se "Pus" wounds on her upper left shoulder. Plaintiff observed this firsthand because Miller requested Plaintiff to help her clean her MRSE afflicted and infectious shoulder. On one s occasion nurse Miller touched a patients buttocks and anal area and proceeded to open a ew drawer with the same hand and same giove on and take out medical supplies from the now N infected supply drawer. Additionally, nurse Miller rvould never change her disposable e yellow gowns following entering and exiting a wound patient's room. The purpose for the it before and after entering the patients rooms. us disposable yellow gonn is to change ho Additionally, nurse Miller infected patients with the MRSE bacterial since one patient went into a "Code 1". Code 1 denotes a seriously i1l patient. う0 rt PlaintiffFANOUS raised her complaints about nurse Miller's exposure of the MRSE virus, ou the use of a contaminated hand onto medical supplies and her failure to change disposable C yellow gowns to the Wounds Department upper management, Lane Phillips, Dir., and Mark Kaufrnan, Assistant Administrator. Instead ofany remedial measurg5 lging undertaken by Defendant Kaiser, plahtiff was subjected to further adverse ernployment actions. On October 25, 2015 Plaintiffwas writtar up on sham and bogus charges ofvague accusations of failure to get along rvith co-workers. Thereafter, on Novernber 1, 2015 Plaintiff was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into plaintiff. This was oukageous conduct on the part ofDefendant Kaiser, and notably, an effort to send plaintiffa PLAIrOTIFF'S COⅣ IPLAINT FOR DAⅣ IAGES 6 "Chilling" message to stop raising complaints ofpatient care neglect and abuse. uitimately, Defendants Kaiser retaliated against Plaintiff on January 4, 2016, when Defendant Kaiser terminated 3 plaintiff from her employmant. The offered 4 mask ernployment retaliation. 5 14 reasons for the termination were pretextual to The sexual harassment, retaliation and discrimination, described above as it relates to all 7 This conduct as afore stated constitutes the "incident" giving rise to this action or proceeding, as that term "incident" is used on page 1 ofthe form interrogatories approved 9 by the Judicial Council for the State of Califomia. てυ Se 0 Within the time provided by law, plaintifffiled rv 8 ic e 6 Plaintiff herein, and the retaliatory termination constituted an adverse employment action. a complaint with the Califomia 2 a 7 rt g1 102.5 (a), in pertinent part, provides: ou "An employer, or any person acting on behaifofthe ernployer, shall not make, ado_pt, or. enforce any rule. regulation. or policy pieventing an C 1 2 つろ う‘ employee from disclosing information lo a govemment or iaw enforcerient agency, to q person with authority over the employee, or to another ernployee who has authority to investigate, disi:over, or correct the violation or noncompliance, or from providing information to, or testit/ing !:fore, any.public body conducting an invesligation, hearing, or inquiry] the employee has reasonable ciuse to believe fhat thjinformation discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation of or noncompliance_ with a local, state, or federal rule or regulation, regardless ofwhether disclosingthe information is part ofthe employee's job'rluties.,' if 23 24 26 Plaintiff incorporates by reference the allegations set forth above and beiow. Califomia Labor Code 19 25 ho 6 us e FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION Breach of CaI. Labor Code S lf 02.5, et seq., Employment Retaliation for Opposing Wrongful Employmenf Conduct (Against AII Defendants) 18 20 ew "righlto-sue" letter. N D ′ 0 う 4 , ´ , 17 s 1 Department of Fair Employment and Housing, in full compliance with FEHA and received 18 Labor Code g I 102.5 subsections (c)&(d) provides: "[a]n employer, or any person acting on behalf of the anployer, shall not THE VELEZ LAW FII● I Attomeys at 6940… Dn● ● Rα 共● CA'“ 77 PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DARIAGES 7 ͡ retaliate against an employee for refi$ing to participate in an activity that would result in a violation of state m federal statute, or a violation ofor noncompliance with a local, state, or federal rule or regulation. (d) An ernployer, or any person acting on behalf of the employer, shall not retaliate against an employee for having exercised his oi her rights under subdivision (a), (b), or O in any fomrer employment." 19 Plaintiff informed Kaiser manager, Ruby D. Acojedo, that the departrnent's stroke scale protocols were not being consistantly adhered to in that a nurse refused to perform a stroke scales protocols e handoffwith her. PlaintifPs complaints over inadequate stroke assessment ic was met with retaliation. In about March 2015 Defendant Kaiser, through its Departrnent rv Manager, Ruby Acejedo, issued Plaintiffa written verbal waming. This adverse anployment Se action contained false accusations of co-worker conflicts on the part of Plaintiff. Plaintiff then provided a written rebuttal to Ms. Acejedo's false allegations. 20 ew s Additionally, in about early August 2015, Plaintiff FANOUS observed the following instances of gross patient care and neglect. Kaiser nurse Kathy Miller was allowed to work N with Wound Patients. Nurse Miller was however, ill with MRSE viral infections, with open e "Pus" wounds on her upper left shoulder. Plaintiffobserved this firsthand because Miller us requested Plaintiff to help her clean her MRSE afflicted and infectious shoulder. On one Millff touched a patients buttocks and anal area and proceeded to open a ho occasion nurse drawer with the same hand and same glove on and take out medical supplies from the now ou rt infected supply drawer. Additionally, nurse Miller would never change her disposable C yellow disposable gowns following antering and exiting a wound patient's room. The purpose for the disposable yellow gown is to change it before and after entering the patients rooms. Additionally, nurse Miller infected patients with the MRSE virus since one patient went into a "Code 1". Code I denotes a seriously ill patient. う‘ PlaintiffFANOUS raised her complaints about nurse Miller's exposure of the MRSE virus, the use ofa contaminated hand onto medical supplies and her failure to change disposable yellow gowns to the Wounds Departrnent upper management, Lane Phillips, Dir., and Mark Kauftnan, Assistant Director. lnstead of any rernedial measures being undertakat by PLANTIFF'S COⅣ IPLAINT FOR DAMAGES 8 ͡ Defendant Kaiser, plaintiff was subjected to further adverse employment actions. On October 25, 2015 Plaintiffwas written up on sham and bogus charges ofvague accusations of failwe to get along with co-workers. Thereafter, on November 6, 2015 Plaintiff was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into plaintiff. This was outrageous conduct on the part ofDefendant Kaiser, and notably, an effort to send plaintiffa "Chilling ' messageto stop raising complaints ofpatient care neglect and abuse. Ultimately, Defendants reasons for the termination were pretextual to ic plaintifffrom her ernplol,rnent. The offered e Kaiser retaliated against Plaintiff on January 4, 2016, when Defendant Kaiser terminated As a result ofdefendants' conduct and breach ofthe code section, plaintiffhas suffered and will continue to suffer Se 22. rv mask employment retaliation. damages, the exact amount of which has not been fully ascertained ew s but is rvithin thejurisdiction ofthis Court. Plaintiffis entitled to damages, including, but not limited to lostwages, salary, benefits and certain other incidental and consequential expenses As a direct and proximate result of the acts of Defendants, Plaintiff has sustained and e 23. N and damages in an amount to be shown at the time of trial. us continues to suffer severe emotional distress. Plaintiffseeks general damages for her severe ho emotional distress and other consequential damages in an amount not less than an amount within the jurisdiction of this court, the exact amount to be proven at trial. Plaintiffis informed, believes ou rt 24. and thereon alleges that defendants, and each ofthern, acted fraudulently, maliciously and oppressively with a conscious, reckless and willfi.rl disregard, C and/or with callous disregard of the probable detrimental and economic consequences to plaintiffs, and to the direct benefit of defendants, knowing that defendants' conduct was substantially certain to vex, annoy and injure plaintiff and entitle plaintiff to punitive damages against the individual defendants under Califomia Civil Code $3294, in an amount sufficient to punish or to make an example ofthe individual defendants. WHEREFORE, plaintiff prays for judgrnent against defendants, and each of them, hereinafter set forth. PLAINTIFF'SCO卜 IPLAIPIT FOR DA■ IAGES 9 as ͡ SECOND CAUSE OF ACT10N Breach of Cal.Govt.Code§ 12940;Retaha● on for Opposing Gender Ⅱarassment,Sexual Harassment (Against Defendants KAISER) 5 6 う4 う乙 Plaintiff incorporates by reference the allegations set forth above and below. Defendants KAISER has breached their statutory and self-imposed duties owed to as a plaintiff result ofDefendant's representation, policies and procedures, and under Califomia law, e including Section, 12940 et. seq., of the Califomia Government Code by: (1) ratifuing and ic tacitly approving gender discrimination; and (2) retaliating against Plaintifffor complaining Plaintiff is a member of a class entitled to protection under the Califomia Fair Emplolment Se 27 rv of sexuai harassmant, gender harassment. and Housing Act and have obtained a "Right to Sue" letter. As a result of the conduct of Defendant KAISER and Defendant KAISER's breach ofthe s 28 the jurisdiction of this court. Plaintiffis entitled to damages N fully ascertained but is within ew code section, Plaintiff has suffered damages, the exact amount of which has not yet been including, but not limited to, lost wages, salary, benefits and certain other incidental and us e consequential expenses and damages in an amount to be shown at the time of trial. In addition, Plaintiffhas been forced as a result ofDefendant's breach to retain a law firm to ho enforce their rights, and has incurred and will continue to incur costs and reasonable ou rt attomeys' fees in connection herewith, recovery of which Plaintiff is entitled to according to proof. Plaintiffis inforrned, believe and thereon allege that Defendant KAISER acted fraudulently, C 29 maliciously and oppressively with a conscious, reckless, and willful disregard, and/or with callous disregard of the probable detrimental and economic consequences to Plaintiff, and to the direct benefit to Defendant, knowing that Defendant's conduct was substantially certain to vex, annoy and injure Plaintiffand entitle her to punitive damages under Califomia Civil Code $3294, in an amount sufficient to punish or to make an example of Defendants. WHEREFORE, Plaintiffprays judgrnent against Defendants as PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FOR DAⅣ IAGES 10 hereinafter set forth. ͡ THIRD CAUSE OFACTION (WRONGTUL TERMINATION IN \TOLATION OF A CLEARLY STATED PUBLIC POLIC9 (Against Defendants KAISER) 0 3 1 3 Plaintiff incorporates by reference the allegations set forth above and below. Pursuant to the Califomia Fair Employment and Housing Act, Caiifomia Govemment Code Section 12900., et. seq., defendants owed Plaintiff a duty to take all e co[ect discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the ic reasonable action to prevent and rv rvorkplace and to provide plaintiff and other employees with a work environment free from Additionally, Califomia Se sexual harassment, discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Labor Code $1102.5 et seq., prohibits retaliation for reporting internally violations of law. law. Defendants, and each of them, also s Patient care neglect and abuse is a violation of ew owed Plaintiffa duty not to take any adverse ernployment action against Plaintiffdue to her opposition to said breaches of law. N 一 ,0 う e The conduct of Defendants as set forth above, constitutes unlawful retaliation, in violation us of the Public Policy of the State of Califomia including the FEHA and the Califomia Labor Code. ho う0 う0 Defendants Kaiser retaliated against Plaintiff on January 4, 2016, when Defendant Kaiser ou rt terminated plaintiff from her employment. The offered reasons for the termination were pretextual to mask employment retaliation. C 34 As a direct and proximate result of the conduct of Defendants, in violation of Califomia's public policy, as set forth above, Plaintiffhas suffered severe humiliation, anbarrassmant, anxiety, distress, loss ofself-esteern and other highly unpleasant emotions. Further, Plaintiff has suffered severe physical injuries, injwies to her reputation, has lost wages and job benefits including her porsion, has lost the benefit ofjob experience, has incurred medical expenses and has been forced to anploy legal counsel and to incur attomey's fees, costs of suit and rclated expenses in an amount not yet fully ascertained. Plaintiffhas suffered general PLAINTIFF'S COⅣIPLAINT FOR DAⅣ IAGES ll damages as set forth above in a sum in excess of the jurisdictional limits of this Court and has suffered speciai damages in an amount according to 35. proofat the time oftrial. ln engaging in the conduct set forth above, and in failing to act, as set forth above, Defendants acted inteationally, negligently, recklessly, outrageously, despicably, maliciously, oppressively, fraudulently, and in bad faith, with the intent ofharming Plaintiff and without regard to her rights. Accordingly, Plaintiffis entitled to recover exemplary damages. ic e WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for judgnent against Defendants, and each of thern, as set rv forth below. as set forth Se WHEREFORE, Plaintiffprays judganent against Defendants, and each ofthern, below: s For general, special and consequential damages in an amount of excess of the For exanplary damages in an amount necessary to punish defendants and to deter N b ew jurisdictional limits of this Court, according to proof; e such conduct in the future, accordingto proofon PlaintifPs causes ofaction allowing us punitive damages; ho For reasonable attomey's fees under the FEHA and under any applicable statute, costs and expenses of litigation, according to proofon Plaintiffs causes of action ou rt allowing for attomeys fees; d For pre-judgmant and post-judgnent interest; C For Injunctive relief to abate physical disability discrimination; including all reasonable attorney's fees under the holding of Harris v. City of Santa Monic4 (2013) 56 Cal.4th 203; For economic damages; 〃 〃 〃 PLANTIFF'S COPIPLANT FOR DANIAGES 12 ヘ ハ g For non-economic damages; h For such other and further relief as the Court may deem proper. THE VELEZ LAW FRNI ic e DATED:March 3,2016 Se rv Kelsey A. Webber Esq. Attomey for Plaintiff FANOUS JURY DE市 AND N ew s PlalniffFANOUS hcrcby dmandstrlal byjury Respectfu lly Submitted, us e DATED:NIarch 3,2016 rt ho THE VELEZ LAW FRNI ou Kelscy A Webber,Esq_ C Attorney for Plaintiff FANOUS PLAINTIFF'SCOンIPLAINT FOR DAIIAGES 13