Nurse Says Filipino Coworkers Bullied Her Over Race, Sues Cedars-Sinai After Firing

Image source: L.A. Times

Camyle Meier, a former 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.

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

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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