Renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has joined the legal team representing former MetroHealth CEO Airica Steed, Ed.D., MBA, RN, in her discrimination lawsuit against the health care company. Steed filed the lawsuit shortly after her termination in August, which she claims occurred while on medical leave.
Background of the case
According to reports, Steed was dismissed by the MetroHealth board due to alleged disagreements over her priorities and performance standards. However, her legal representation argues that her firing was unjust and raises significant concerns about the treatment of Black women leaders in corporate environments.
Steed learned of her termination through the media after initiating an investigation into ethical issues raised by employees and filing a complaint regarding gender and race discrimination.
Concerns raised by Steed’s dismissal
Crump emphasized that Steed’s case highlights a troubling pattern of behavior at MetroHealth, particularly regarding the standards applied to Black women leaders compared to their counterparts.
Steed’s performance reviews prior to her firing indicated that she met or exceeded expectations in several areas, including mission strategy and community relations. However, she received lower marks for collaboration and leadership, which she attributed to a lack of time to build relationships within the organization.
Reactions from the community
The Cleveland branch of the NAACP condemned Steed’s firing. They expressed concern over the treatment of Steed, stating that her contributions to MetroHealth and the Northeast Ohio community were invaluable.
The NAACP highlighted the disgraceful nature of the board’s decision, especially given that Steed was brought in to restore the organization’s reputation following a previous scandal.
