As the largest managed care organization nationwide, Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente has an estimated 11.7 million enrollees in their plans, over 400,000 doctors and employees, and billions in annual revenue.
With an enormous employee base, numerous Riverside Kaiser Permanente suits have arisen due to wrongful termination and other forms of workplace discrimination at the hands of KP and their network affiliates.
Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers has successfully fought for clients who’ve been harassed, retaliated against, or mistreated for whatever reason by this massive healthcare company.
Types of Kaiser Permanente Employee Lawsuits
Having to file a lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente can come about for several different reasons. The past 70 years of the company’s history have been riddled with employment law violations. Some of these are:- Discrimination: Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee for any of the following reasons:
- Race
- Religion
- National origin
- Marital status
- Sex
- Gender
- Gender identity
- Gender expression
- Physical disability
- Mental disability
- Medical condition
- Color
- Religious creed
- Age
- Sexual orientation
- Military or veteran status
- Wrongful termination: There have been several cases of wrongful termination for Kaiser Permanente employees. Some have been for discrimination as we listed above, while others have been in cases of retaliation for reporting working conditions, reporting patient care violations, refusing to commit illegal acts, unlawful disciplinary policy actions, and reporting law violations. Kaiser Permanente has had a checkered past with its employees.
- Retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions: Safe working conditions are expected when you enter any workplace. Luckily there are several California laws that protect employees from unsafe working conditions. Some of them include:
- California Health & Safety Code Section 1278.5: This protects health care workers from retaliation for complaining about alleged unsafe patient care conditions.
- California Business & Professions Code Section 2056: This protected surgeons and doctors from retaliation for complaining about inadequate patient care.
- California Business & Professions Code Section 510: Protection for licensed health care workers from retaliation for raising concerns regarding inadequate patient care.
Kaiser Permanente Suits Take Skill to Navigate
Apart from the millions in damages, our Kaiser Permanente attorney has recovered for victims of various abuses, the company has been involved in patient dumping suits and was even civilly and criminally charged with such at one point. But it’s their biased opposition to HMO arbitration reform, and their exhaustive arbitration process administered by the Office of Independent Administrator, that has been an ongoing controversy between employees, patients, and KP. Many employees of Kaiser Permanente are members of various guilds and unions, meaning they’re afforded some recourse if labor disputes arise. However, Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers understands the KP Code of Conduct and disciplinary bi-laws established years ago. Navigating this process without a Rager attorney may result in lessened settlement claims or no settlement at all. Kaiser employees terminated from their positions have much to prove, although we’re aware many dismissals are factually unlawful prior to clients retaining us. To win actual damages arising from your wrongful termination, an expert Riverside Kaiser Permanente attorney will:- Gather facts to substantiate the claimant’s false dismissal, including any witnesses or visual proof.
- Match facts with similar cases where the employee was let go under similar circumstances.
- Figure out if violations against FMLA, EEOC or similar California and Federal labor laws exist
- If KP willfully caused a HIPAA violation, setting up the employee to take the fall and lose employment.
- If any part of the arbitration process is being manipulated.
Why is Kaiser Permanent in the spotlight
KP is one of the largest employers in the area. They have also been in business for decades. With such a large organization there are several intricacies that go into cases such as these. Not only do they have the main KP organization they also have associated affiliates such as:- The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
- Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG)
- Southern California
- Northern California
- San Francisco
- Orange county
- Sacramento
- Santa Clara
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
Recovery for Kaiser Permanente Cases
Taking on the big guys is no easy feat and you may feel like you will accomplish nothing. However, at Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers we are able to recover the following on your behalf:- Payment of future wages
- Court costs and legal fees
- Recovery of lost wages
- Pain and suffering damages
- Reinstatement to your job
- Possible punitive damages against Kaiser Permanente