An employment discrimination lawsuit has been filed against the Executive Health Group and its owner, Dr. J. Rand Baggesen, by the ACLU of Virginia on behalf of two African American women who claim they were fired because of their race.
The suit, filed under the Virginia Human Rights Act in U.S. District Court in Richmond on Wednesday, alleges that Titilayo Shiyanbade and Tyesha Brooks, who were on the support staff, were told they were being let go because of “culture changes” in the office after months of racially charged comments and incidents.
They allege that they were replaced with white employees the day after they were fired.
Baggesen, also the medical director of the practice, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
The VHRA protects employees of small businesses with six to 14 employees from being fired because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, the ACLU says.
Shiyanbade and Brooks, along with a third plaintiff who is white, Magan Lanham, also have claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act for alleged unpaid overtime and for race-based discrimination under federal law.
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