Did a Hospital Use the COVID-19 Pandemic as an Excuse to Fire A Pregnant Nurse?
Taking time away from work when you’re a nurse isn’t always easy, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Nurse anesthetist Maria DiMattio applied for maternity leave in early March 2020, but by mid-April, the hospital had informed her that she was being permanently laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DiMattio claims that the hospital violated her civil rights and used the pandemic as a pretext for getting rid of her. Last week, she filed a federal discrimination complaint against the facility, but it’s not clear yet if the law is on her side.