sign petition for HIV positive employer discriminatiion

[mikeyb39]

http://www.change.org/petitions/great-expressions-dental-centers-must-apologize-for-harassing-and-firing-hiv-employee



I was absolutely appalled to hear of the recent indignant treatment of a former employee of Great Expressions Dental Care in Detroit.

After being diagnosed with HIV, James White was banned from touching doorknobs, was followed around by coworkers with bottles of Lysol, and subjected to sudden and abrupt schedule changes. After complying with the schedule changes, he was written up for "unexcused absences."

After seven months of enduring this vitriolic, unjustified discrimination, White fell ill and was hospitalized for a week. Great Expressions Dental called to terminate his employment the day before he was scheduled to return back to work.

White's lawyer, Nicole Thompson, has received the "right to sue" letter from the EEOC and is currently in the process of filing a lawsuit demanding compensatory and punitive damages of $140,000 and $45,000, respectively, and requiring the company to post notice of the agreement as well as providing training on HIV/AIDS and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This extreme case of HIV discrimination and gross violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act is absolutely unacceptable. Every reputable medical establishment in the U.S., including the United States Centers for Disease Control, agrees that HIV/AIDS is not transmitted by casual contact. Certainly, it is not transmitted by touching doorknobs or sharing counter space. If it were, the number of Americans living with HIV would be dramatically higher. As medical professionals I would expect you of all people to know this.

These acts were not ordered out of concern for public safety, but rather were sheer acts of unfounded hatred and inequity.

We will not stand for this. We demand the immediate resignation of the regional director of Great Expressions Dental in Detroit for discriminatory tactics and hindrance of employment equal opportunity. Furthermore, we demand that reparations be paid in full to Mr. White for the entirety of what is being asked.

[Jody]

I signed the petition and hope all the workers get proper training.  It is good to first be able to speak to people face to face about HIV, rather than start out by shouting at them, that often backfires, but rational education never should.

Jody

[emeraldize]

Signed it. A couple of national television networks could make this dental center's business plan implode. Net effect of their backward behavior:  some people won't use them because of their discriminatory practices and some won't use them because a pozzie once worked there and touched a door handle. So they're f'd in two ways.

[PozBrian]

Went just now to sign and it was closed for signing. Anyone know what gives?

[Theyer]

Likewise.
However you can e-mail there corporate headquarters , just goggle them . They have loads off practice,s large concern.
mhtv

[denb45]

Hard to believe this went on in a professional dentist's office, such stigma & hatred 

[emeraldize]

PozBrian,

I went to the site and noticed this headline "Why This Is Important" followed by
Previous petiton was eliminated due to threats of lawsuit to petitioner from Great Expressions Dental Centers:  http://www.change.org/petitions/great-expressions-dental-centers-must-apologize-for-harassing-and-firing-hiv-employee

So the guy James who posted the petition which included all the top brass of Great Expressions must have gotten to him.