Gender discrimination is no small slight, but rather just as significant as any other workplace discrimination or harassment. While we would like to think that gender discrimination is a product of the past, too often we are reminded that it still occurs each and every day across the United States. The case of Warfield versus Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston is a great example to remind us of the continued presence of gender discrimination in our society, as well as the substantial ramifications of such discriminatory and retaliatory behavior by an employer.
Carol Warfield settled a gender discrimination lawsuit against Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for a record-breaking $7 million after years of gender discrimination by Josef Fischer, former surgery chief of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Almost immediately after Fischer arrived at Beth Israel, his gender discrimination became apparent. Warfield was subject to demeaning and abusive treatment by the doctor for years, many times being outright ignored during meetings or passed over during conversation. Fischer even stated to a group of nurses that he preferred to deal with men and went so far as to describe the type of men he preferred to engage – Western-taught and light-skinned. Warfield reported the gender discrimination to Beth Israel’s chief executive, Paul Levy, who downplayed her accusations and felt she was merely ‘playing the victim.’ Levy ultimately demoted Warfield to department chairwoman following her complaints, stating he felt she was too aggressive and could not get along well with Fischer.
Despite Warfield’s massive gender discrimination settlement of $7M, Beth Israel Deaconess continues to admit no wrongdoing. The Harvard teaching hospital also continues to reaffirm its retaliation and discrimination policies and plans to sponsor a yearly lecture series regarding the academic contributions by women, as well as a women’s health series in addition to the monetary award. Warfield is also still permitted to conduct research at the medical school and see patients. As the largest settlement in Massachusetts’ history for retaliation and gender discrimination, Warfield’s case makes a big statement throughout the employment community: discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated and the consequences of such will be great.
If you or someone you know has been discriminated against as the result of gender or otherwise, contact a qualified New York Discrimination Attorney today.