The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has again sued Montrose (Colo.) Regional Health, alleging the hospital harassed older nurses in its same-day surgery/post-anesthesia care unit and retaliated against those who complained.
According to the complaint, managers — including the chief nursing officer — said they wanted “younger” and “more energetic” nurses, called older staff “lazy” and subjected them to heightened scrutiny. The EEOC said some nurses were fired after raising concerns, according to a Sept. 30 news release from the agency.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The EEOC previously sued Montrose Regional in 2016. The matter was resolved in January 2018 through a three-year consent decree and a $400,000 settlement covering legal expenses and employee compensation.
In response to the new lawsuit, Montrose Regional Health has denied the allegations. The hospital said the case is based on the resignation of one employee in 2021 and involves other individuals who either left voluntarily or were terminated for cause over the past five years.
“Few details have been released by the EEOC at this time, and MRH plans to formally request additional information regarding the nature of the claims,” the hospital said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “While MRH takes this type of claim very seriously, the organization is both disappointed and concerned that the EEOC has chosen to pursue litigation given MRH’s longstanding commitment to providing a respectful and nurturing workplace.”
