Posted on 08/05/2005 8:08:43 AM PDT by Irontank
Fed up with comments such as "men are jerks" and "men are idiots," a former male nurse at Eastern Maine Medical Center has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging he was sexually harassed by the female nursing staff and discriminated against on the basis of gender.
Daniel Lufkin, 41, of Medford also alleges that EMMC violated the Maine Human Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, and retaliated against him for filing complaints over his alleged treatment.
He is seeking a jury trial and punitive and compensatory damages. A trial date has not been set.
Lufkin received a "right-to-sue letter" from the Maine Human Rights Commission after the commissioners were unable to consider the complaint within the required time limit.
Lufkin worked as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at EMMC from 1998 through mid-2004. Incidents cited in the complaint, filed last month in U.S. District Court in Bangor, occurred in 2003 and 2004.
His attorney, Joseph Baldacci of Bangor, declined Wednesday to comment on the case.
The hospital's attorney, Frank McGuire of Bangor, denied Wednesday that the male nurse had been treated unfairly.
"EMMC investigated and addressed Mr. Lufkin's complaints at the time he made them in 2004, and no job action was taken against him because of those complaints," McGuire said. "EMMC firmly believes that it has not treated Mr. Lufkin unfairly.
"Beyond that," he continued, "it's not the practice of the hospital to discuss personnel issues in the newspaper, but we will respond appropriately in court."
Lufkin's complaint outlined in the lawsuit includes allegations that he was:
. Told to shut up by female co-workers and supervisors when he tried to offer an opinion.
. Subjected to or threatened with acts of physical humiliation or aggressiveness by co-workers.
. Given verbal and written warnings for alleged performance-related issues as retaliation for workplace complaints.
. Denied advancement and career opportunities in ICU even though female co-workers were offered positions.
. Threatened with discipline although he had been granted a leave of absence.
As a result of the working conditions in ICU, the nurse has not worked at EMMC since last summer, according to Baldacci. Lufkin currently is not employed.
Ping.
I've always found it interesting how women can get away with behavior in the workplace that, if a man were to do the same thing, he would be disciplined or fired in an instant.
not just the workplace, consider how often you hear "men are jerks" or "men are pigs" at work or in public. now imagine what would happen if it were the opposite.
Yikes! My brother-in-law just graduated nursing school in May and went to work in that very hospital. He probably knows this Lufkin guy.
Hey, I resemble that remark! ;-)
But men and women are different! Women like this only want to be equal in some ways but not others. It's just funny when women are abusive to men, isn't it? </sarcasm>
It's not unusual - women are given a lot more leeway on matters like this. That's not a bad thing: it's certainly never bothered me when women in earshot say stuff like that. Maybe I'm just not that sensitive...
[Not being too senstive, by the way, is a good thing too!]
Speaking as a woman, I've always found such behavior to indicate severe insecurity on the part of the woman acting in such a way. A woman who is confident and proud of her femininity has no reason to be so averse to men.
"[Not being too senstive, by the way, is a good thing too!]"
Ditto to that, HitmanNY. Some people amaze me as to what they let bother them. Like a bunch of schoolgirls..."Did you hear what so and so said about me?"
Me? I don't care what anybody says out of my hearing. Who gives a flip?
If he's filing a federal law suit over something like this...he's obviously not married yet
No kidding. I don;t understand how anybody reaches the age of maturity with the expectation that they are going to move through life without getting their feelings hurt (that is, much of what passes for 'offensive' these days).
I'm with you - I've never been particularly bothered by women (or the whiny men who secretly love them) discussing how the men in their lives are all jerks or idiots. What do I care? We all get what we deserve: any woman who consistently encounters jerks and idiots in their love life must be doing something wrong (the thought of which would surely offend them)!!!
Oh I don't know...Massachusetts is right up there. But then being so clsoe, the two have probably been taking lessons from each other. But at least we get to collect the road tolls in between :^) Just call it a little state-sponsored capitalism on the road between two socialist enclaves...
mmmmmm....I'm not sure this is a gender related problem....
Perhaps, but as a woman who works in the health care field, it's not only unprofessional to say things like that at work (especially within earshot of male co-worker), but, it's downright rude.
There's no excuse for poor manners, no matter where you are.
For what it's worth, I much prefer to work around men than women, this being one reason. There is such a thing called "estrogen overload," even for us, LOL!
I've never been able to work that well around women.
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