CLEARWATER — A registered nurse is suing at St. Petersburg hospital facility, alleging gender and racial discrimination.
Erin Gwyn, an African-American transgender individual, filed a complaint Jan. 26 in Pinellas County Circuit Court against HCA, Inc., alleging violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Florida Civil Rights Act.
According to the complaint, Gwyn had worked at HCA's Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg since August 2011 as a fulltime advanced registered nurse practitioner. In April 2017, the suit says, she learned Northside was short-staffed, yet nobody contacted her for work despite Gwyn having requested extra work since February. She says she also learned another African-American who had worked for HCA had resigned as a result of the defendant not scheduling her enough hours.
Gwyn says she was subjected to discrimination, accused of stealing and was eventually terminated July 17, 2017.
The plaintiff alleges HCA failed to provide Gwyn PRN hours while providing PRN hours to a white/Caucasian peer, made false accusation of theft of food and subjected an employee to discriminatory acts.
Gywn seeks trial by jury, compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, prejudgment interest, full fringe benefits and seniority rights, court costs and all other appropriate legal relief. She is represented by attorney April S. Goodwin of The Goodwin Firm in Largo.
Pinellas County Circuit Court case number 18CA000541