Black hospital workers have to deal with racist comments

Investigators for the state of Vermont have concluded that Black staff members at a state hospital are subject to racist comments from both patients and other co-workers, reports the Associated Press. The Vermont Human Rights Commission determined last month that the Department of Mental Health had discriminated against Ismina Francois by not addressing harassment at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital. The commission opened an investigation into the Berlin facility following Francois’ complaint last year. The report says Francois, a mental health specialist, was assigned to care for patients who use racial slurs and threatened her. The commission found the facility’s failure to act provided a climate that enabled staff to make racially insensitive comments. The state argued that the incidents didn’t create an abusive work environment. The commission will consider bringing the case to court if a settlement isn’t reached.