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Supporters of Fired Lesbian Nurse Protest Carle Foundation Hospital’s Delay in Hearing |
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by K A Kranich Email: kakranich (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified!) |
26 Jan 2004
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Twenty activists today demonstrated in support of fired Carle Foundation Hospital pediatric nurse, Lynn Sprout, outside the hospital one day before her lesbian discrimination hearing was to take place before the Urbana Human Relations Commission. |
The Commission granted a delay in the hearing at the request of hospital lawyers who said they weren’t prepared.
“This stinks,” said Sprout supporter, Traci Daniels. “Carle has hired expensive lawyers from Chicago from a 400-employee law firm and they aren’t ready? Come on! Let the hearing begin. We want justice for Lynn and all lesbian and gay employees at the hospital.”
Last November, Ms. Sprout rejected a $35,000 settlement offer from the hospital.The settlement would have prevented Ms. Sprout from talking publicly about her claims of discrimination. Ms. Sprout is seeking her job back and hospital-wide policy changes that would guarantee family and medical leave to all hospital employees, not just married heterosexual employees.
Ms. Sprout was fired from her job as a pediatric nurse at Carle Foundation Hospital after 15 years of service. She was fired after revealing her sexual orientation when her same-sex partner of 18 years was dying. Instead of being allowed to take family and medical leave, Ms. Sprout says she was repeatedly told that partner was not her responsibility because she was "not family."
Supporters carried signs that read, “Equality at Carle,” “Family and Medical Leave for All Employees,” “Policy Change, Not Small Change” and “Carle Can’t Buy This Lesbian’s Silence.” Fifty flyers with information about the case were distributed to drivers as they were stopped at the intersection of University and Coler Avenues in Urbana.
In Urbana, it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on their sexual orientation. On January 19, 2004, the Urbana City Council passed an ordinance granting paid sick, bereavement and family medical leave for city employees with same-sex domestic partners.
The hospital denies any wrongdoing and stands by its nondiscrimination policy. A hospital spokesperson has said Ms. Sprout was fired for “poor” job performance.
The hearing to try Ms. Sprout’s case has been reset for early May. |
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