Hospital Denies Fired Nurse Was Bullied by Filipino Coworkers, Wants Private Arbitration

Image source: L.A. Times

Camyle Meier, a former bi-racial nurse at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging multiple forms of workplace discrimination and retaliation. The case, filed on May 7, 2025, at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, names Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as the defendant.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is pushing back against the discrimination and retaliation lawsuit  asserting in newly filed court documents that the claims are unfounded and should be handled through arbitration—not in a courtroom.

Details of the Complaint

• Background: Meier, who is half-white and half-Japanese, states her lifelong dream was to work in medicine, inspired by her sister's treatment at Cedars-Sinai. She was nearing completion of her nursing degree when she was hired by the hospital, which she described as a "dream come true".
• Workplace Environment: Upon starting, Meier was assigned to a section comprised almost entirely of Filipino women who had worked together for over a decade. She claims she "stood out like a sore thumb" and was subjected to immediate hostility, including having coffee poured into her backpack on her first day and subsequent tampering with her personal belongings. The lawsuit alleges this conduct was racially motivated and marked the beginning of ongoing harassment, ostracization, bullying, and undermining by her co-workers.
• Alleged Discriminatory Practices: Meier claims her Filipino colleagues filed falsified complaints against her, subjected her to unreasonable scrutiny, and assigned her the most challenging patients without adequate training, which she believes was intended to set her up for failure.
• Retaliation and Termination: After Meier resisted what she viewed as unlawful actions and complained about her treatment, she alleges the harassment escalated. She was placed on leave two days before her six-month probationary period ended and was subsequently terminated for an alleged violation of a time-recording policy – a policy she says differed from the one originally provided to her.
• Policy Violations: Meier contends that Cedars-Sinai failed to uphold its own policies prohibiting discrimination and retaliation, and did not take appropriate action to address her complaints.
• Damages Sought: Meier is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for lost income and emotional distress resulting from her termination and the alleged hostile work environment.

A representative for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center stated that the hospital does not comment on pending litigation.

Key Allegations

Meier's lawsuit asserts the following claims against Cedars-Sinai:

• Gender Discrimination
• Retaliation
• Breach of Contract and Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing
• Failure to Prevent Harassment, Discrimination, and/or Retaliation
• Failure to Take Corrective Action
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

Cedars-Sinai’s Response

Attorneys representing Cedars-Sinai have filed a formal denial of Meier’s allegations. In court documents submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley, hospital lawyers contend that Meier’s claims lack merit and that her employment was terminated solely due to violations of the medical center’s timekeeping policy.

The defense argues that Meier, as a newly graduated nurse still in her probationary period, failed to meet performance expectations and is now attempting to shift blame. “Rather than accept responsibility for her own shortcomings and the challenges inherent in transitioning from student to professional in a demanding hospital environment, Meier manufactured a case that disparages the professionalism of a group of seasoned Filipina colleagues,” the hospital’s legal team wrote.

In addition to disputing the substance of the claims, Cedars-Sinai’s attorneys are also seeking to compel arbitration, citing a comprehensive arbitration agreement Meier allegedly signed at

the start of her employment. According to the hospital’s legal team, that agreement clearly stipulates that any employment-related disputes must be resolved through binding arbitration—not in court.

Arbitration Dispute

Meier’s attorneys have attempted to bypass arbitration by invoking the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which exempts such claims from mandatory arbitration. However, Cedars-Sinai's legal team contends that this exemption doesn’t apply in Meier’s case. “The reality is that Meier is merely complaining about personnel management decisions that are part and parcel of any high-performing clinical team,” the hospital's filing states.

The defense further argues that her allegations—though serious in tone—do not meet the legal threshold for harassment or discrimination, but instead reflect routine employment challenges within a demanding healthcare environment.

What’s Next

The case now hinges not only on the substance of Meier’s allegations, but also on the court’s decision regarding whether the dispute should proceed in public court or private arbitration. If it is moved to arbitration, proceedings will take place behind closed doors and outside the standard court process.

As legal proceedings unfold, it could set a precedent for how hospitals handle internal discrimination claims moving forward.

Nurse.org will continue to update this article as the case unfolds.

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