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Bergen hospital accused of racial discrimination in lawsuit

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A former medical assistant filed the lawsuit.

bergen-regional-medical-center-0903.bmp.jpgBergen Regional Medical Center (Google Maps) 

PARAMUS -- A former medical assistant at Bergen Regional Medical Center claims the hospital fired him for complaining about a pattern of racial discrimination.

An attorney for Joel Ramirez, 32, filed suit in February accusing Bergen Regional of violating anti-discrimination laws and the state whistleblower law.

Ramirez, a West New York resident, worked at the hospital from July 2013 to July 2015. Ramirez worked in the detox unit, which had a rule barring walk-in patients after 12 p.m.

While the rule was often relaxed for white patients, minority patients were sent away, the suit says. Ramirez said his supervisor, Michelle Delay, who is white, was also more lenient with white patients who brought drugs and other contraband into the unit.

In September 2015, Delay refused to admit someone to the detox unit because they didn't speak English, the suit says. Ramirez complained several times about the unequal treatment of whites and minority patients, but nothing changed while he worked at the hospital.

The discrimination extended to employees, the suit says. When a black nurse showed up to work drunk, she was immediately fired, while a white nurse who did the same thing was allowed to keep her job.

Hospital workers allegedly exposed to violent patients

White employees weren't disciplined if they came late or left early to drop off or pick up their children from school, while minorities were not allowed the same convenience, the suit says. In addition, only white nurses were given training to be in charge for shifts.

The hospital fired Ramirez soon after he complained about the alleged discrimination. Bergen Regional said he was fired for lateness, but he had never been warned or reprimanded, the suit says.

The lawsuit also says a hospital policy requiring nurses and medical assistants to speak English is illegal, because it is too broad and enforced even when patients weren't around.

Ramirez claims he was fired because he's a minority and for speaking out about the hostile work environment, the suit says. The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages. It also calls for the English-only policy to be overturned and for a court-appointed monitor to review how patients are treated.

Donnalee Corrieri, a spokeswoman for Bergen Regional, said it was the hospital's policy not to comment on personnel or legal issues.

Bergen Regional is owned by the county and leased to a private operator. Bergen County Executive James Tedesco has formed a committee to decide what should happen to the hospital when the lease expires in 2017.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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