LAKE CHARLES, La. – A Louisiana social worker has filed a lawsuit against Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, alleging she was retaliated against and her employment terminated after reporting perceived racial discrimination by nursing staff.
Plaintiff Joy N. Parker filed her lawsuit November 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lake Charles Division.
The named defendant is Southwest Louisiana Hospital Association, doing business as Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, or LCMH.
Parker, who is Black and had been employed by the hospital since February 2010, alleges LCMH reassigned – more specifically, transferred and demoted – her on Aug. 14, 2025 and ultimately terminated her employment Sept. 24, 2025.
She contends the hospital did so in “direct retaliation” for her filing a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, on July 29, 2025. The EEOC issued a notice of right to sue on Aug. 21, 2025.
According to Parker’s complaint, LCMH’s decision to discipline her and eventually terminate her employment stemmed from her reporting nursing staff for engaging in racial discrimination against a Black patient.
In particular, Parker accused staff of discriminating against a Black mother by calling the state’s Department of Children and Family Services to remove the mother’s minor child while allowing a white mother – under identical circumstances, Parker pointed out – to keep her minor child in a hospital room for several days, unattended.
“This exceptionally close temporal proximity suggests that Plaintiff’s engagement in protected activity was a but-for cause of Defendant’s reason to issue Plaintiff the CAF (Corrective Action Form),” the 28-page complaint states.
Parker claims she filed the EEOC charge after receiving the CAF while she was on medical leave due to work-related stress.
It was soon after, on Aug. 14, that she returned to work. However, she found she was reassigned to the 7th Tower Medical Acute floor.
“The 7th Tower Medical Acute floor is commonly known throughout LCMH as a ‘punishment’ to experienced personnel,” the filing states. “New nurses, or nurses who LCMH are looking to terminate, are generally assigned to this floor, as it is the overflow floor known to be where other floors ‘dump’ problematic patients.”
A week after receiving the EEOC’s notice of right to sue, on Aug. 28, 2025, LCMH upheld Parker’s corrective action.
Nearly a month later, the hospital issued Parker another CAF; this time, it immediately terminated her employment.
“Defendant’s retaliation is willful, intentional, and committed with malice or reckless indifference to the protected rights of Plaintiff,” the complaint states.
Parker also argues LCMH violated federal law in deciding to transfer and demote her immediately upon her return from leave.
According to her filing, the federal Family Medical Leave Act ordinarily requires an employer to provide employees returning from FMLA leave with the same position they previously held or “an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.”
“This new position, which resulted in significantly less privileges, prerequisites, and status as compared to Plaintiff’s previous, long-time position, was neither Plaintiff’s former position, nor was it an equivalent position as required by the FMLA,” the complaint states.
Parker seeks back pay; reimbursement for lost position and training, social security, and other benefits; front pay; compensatory damages; punitive damages; liquidated damages; attorney’s fees; pre-judgment interest; post-judgment interest; “reasonable and necessary” medical care and expenses; mental anguish damages; and injunctive relief.
Lake Charles firm Sudduth & Associates LLC is representing Parker in the action.
