Why did several nurses get fired from MCR Health? Bradenton-based nonprofit won’t say
Several healthcare workers are calling foul after MCR Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Bradenton, sent them letters of termination.
Just how many lost their jobs — or why — MCR Health is not saying. But several nurses who were let go reached out to Bradenton Herald and said it could be 20 or more.
“Most were upper-level employees,” said Kendra Cannon, who received a termination letter while working as a charge nurse.
“No one in my immediate leadership knew that this was going to happen. Most of those let go were way higher than me,” Cannon said.
Cannon was not given a reason for her separation. To receive severance pay, MCR Health required those let go to avoid talking to the press.
Cannon refused to sign the letter and filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“I 100% feel like I was targeted and discriminated against due to favoritism and because of my ethnicity,” said Cannon, who is a Black woman. “MCR refused to hear me or investigate my issue or tell me why I was fired. I understand that Florida is a right-to-work/fire state, but the way they are doing hardworking, loyal employees is definitely against the law, and their policies they pretend to uphold.”
Winnie Williams, a registered nurse, worked for MCR Health for 10 years.
“We all got called in Jan. 6,” Williams said. “It was like 22 of us were let go the same day. We were individually called in.”
Williams declined to sign the letter, which gave no reason for her termination.
“At the time, I was trying to put my head around it and just move on,” she said.
MCR Health declined to comment on the separations.
“MCR has no comment on decisions regarding human resources,” the nonprofit’s attorneys said.
Former CEO files lawsuit against MCR
The firings are the latest controversy for MCR Health.
Patrick Carnegie, the not-for-profit’s former president and CEO, filed suit in February against MCR Health, Inc.
Carnegie’s lawsuit alleges violations of the Florida Whistleblower Act and breach of contract by MCR Health, Inc. Carnegie was employed by MCR Health from 2014 through Nov. 4, 2022.
The lawsuit seeks reinstatement for Carnegie to his former position, along with reinstatement of full fringe benefits and seniority. Carnegie has also demanded a jury trial and for MCR Health to reimburse his attorney fees.
The MCR board of directors voted to remove Carnegie as president and CEO effective Nov. 4, 2022.
MCR Health provided no reason for the removal of Carnegie, which came three weeks after he entered into a pre-trial intervention program following an arrest unrelated to the nonprofit.
A 2021 domestic battery charge was later amended to a charge of trespassing on a construction site.
In 2022, Carnegie’s attorney, Roger D. Futerman, said he did not believe his client deserved to be removed from his job at MCR Health, considering that the charge had been reduced to a misdemeanor and would likely be dismissed.
About MCR Health
MCR operates over 48 healthcare centers, 19 pharmacies, providing a wide range of services including family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, behavioral health, vision, dental, podiatry, cardiology, general surgery and many other medical services.
“Our mission is to provide all patients including the under-served and uninsured access to quality primary care and preventative health education regardless of race, sex, disability, or economic status. Last year alone MCR provided over $59 million in charity care for the uninsured,” the not-for-profit says on its web page.
