WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - A New York City hospital fired a Palestinian American Muslim nurse after she called Israel’s war in Gaza a “genocide” during an acceptance speech for an award for her work with bereaved mothers who lost their children during pregnancy and childbirth.
A spokesperson of the hospital, NYU Langone Health, said on Thursday that labor and delivery nurse Hesen Jabr had previously been warned not to bring her views “on this divisive and charged issue into the workplace.”
Jabr posted on Instagram that she was awarded on May 7, when she made her remarks, adding that she was handed a termination letter later in the month.
The employer is within their rights to terminate so long as it’s not on the basis of a protected class (gender, religion, age etc.).
I don’t agree that stating an opinion should be grounds but I do not believe they violated anything.
Even worse, she’s recognized for excellent work performance so you’d think that matters more….but nope.
Right? Sounds like a great place to work. They’ll be attracting the best and brightest with PR like this.
I didn’t realize New York was an “At-Will Employment” state. As a Canadian, it’s so weird that NY is one of the most progressive states, yet feels so far behind us (and we, in turn, are so far behind many European countries).
It seems wild how one can be fired. Unless I completely breach my contract and/or steal, I don’t think the business can get rid of me, period. Without some form of redundancy and then I’m laughing all the way to the bank.
A lot of people miss that NY is a liberal state, but in the sort of “commercial liberal” way. It’s basically the embodiment of old school moderate liberalism. I’m obviously simplifying, but NY is Democratic, but not necessarily progressive.
Legal =/= Moral