4 Bay Pines Va Employees

[Berta]

which will be appealed by VA for sure-the employees include 3 doctors and they proved retailition due to filing EEOC complaints against VA:

full story at

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfjul09/nf070309-3.htm

Maybe this could help whistleblower cases where VA whistleblowers are retaliated against- such as the TBI situation in Texas with Dr. Robert Van Bowen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA — The four employees at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center said their bosses made their work lives miserable after they filed employment discrimination claims at the St. Petersburg hospital.

They often felt helpless as they watched their professional reputations attacked by supervisors who denied them pay, choice assignments and gave them poor job evaluations.

They are helpless no more.

A federal jury Thursday awarded the four women, including three doctors, $3.73-million in damages after deciding that the administration at Bay Pines, the nation's fourth-busiest veterans hospital, violated the law by retaliating against them.

The VA's liability for damages awarded for emotional pain and anguish are capped under federal law, which means the verdict is expected to eventually be reduced by a judge to $1.33-million.

The jury's decision came after a three-week trial ......

[purple]

Sure would love to know the whole story on this. That much money awarded in that short of time...there is something else going on there.

Of course they won't see a dime of it until the appeals process is over....but I still believe there is much more to this.

[Rockhound]

My previous PCP was pretty much forced out from her job when she became the last medical Dr. on the team for Veterans who also had psychiatric problems as well as medical problems. Her work load became so intolerable that she she had no choice but to resign and seek employment else where, which she had no problem in doing so, she was that good and as well respected by patients, peers and friends. It was a shame to loose such a professional like her, but I guess that is how the VA works in keeping the work costs down, by forcing out the experienced people so they can hire others at a lower cost or force others to take on a more burdensome patient load. It's too bad she couldn't have suid the VA, it was a shame to have lost her is such a manner. It's taken me some time now to begin trusting my new PCP not to mention the continuity of her knowing and understanding my particular situation and problems.

The Four deserve the whole award, but I see how the VA is excaping even that.

Rockhound Rider <_<

[broncovet]

The key word is Retaliation. I hope this sets a precedent so that Veterans who have been retaliated upon by the VA can likewise file suit.