Allegations of discrimination and retaliation have been raised against a major healthcare employer after a former staff member claimed she was subjected to unfair treatment based on her race and age, ultimately leading to her termination. The complaint was filed by Valerie Hawkins in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on March 12, 2026, naming MetroHealth System as the defendant.
According to the court filing submitted by Attorney Isaac Tom Monah, Hawkins began working for MetroHealth in September 2022 and later joined its Human Resources Department in January 2024. The complaint states that despite performing her duties competently, Hawkins faced discriminatory and retaliatory actions from members of MetroHealth’s leadership team. Specifically named are Deborah Southerington, Senior Vice President of Human Resources; Alroy Gibson; and Jane Dulski.
The legal action asserts that Hawkins was treated differently than younger and white colleagues by Southerington, who allegedly disregarded Hawkins’ contributions and imposed heightened scrutiny on her work. “The discriminatory treatment created a hostile and degrading work environment in which Plaintiff was routinely undermined and treated as inferior,” the document reports.
Hawkins participated in formal workplace complaint processes on multiple occasions between October 2023 and March 2024. She claims that after providing information about alleged misconduct involving another employee with ties to management, she experienced increased retaliation. This included being subjected to disciplinary warnings—such as an allegation of rudeness during a meeting that Hawkins denies—and repeated denials of internal transfer requests intended to escape what she describes as a hostile environment.
The complaint further details incidents from September 2024 when Hawkins met with senior staff including Southerington, Calabrese, and Gibson. Following this meeting, Gibson allegedly reprimanded Hawkins for behavior tolerated among other employees and directed her to act differently around Caucasian colleagues. “Plaintiff complied with these directives despite believing they were unjustified and discriminatory,” according to the filing.
By November 2024, Gibson is said to have made inquiries about Hawkins’ retirement plans and suggested she seek less stressful employment at a library—remarks interpreted by Hawkins as reflecting age-based bias. In response to ongoing concerns about discrimination and retaliation, Hawkins filed an internal complaint against both MetroHealth and Southerington.
Despite participating in an investigative meeting conducted by MetroHealth’s legal department in December 2024, Hawkins alleges that her complaints were not meaningfully addressed. Instead, she claims that conditions worsened: “Mr. Gibson began assigning Plaintiff administrative tasks inconsistent with her role while younger colleagues were not subjected to similar treatment.” After taking medical leave later that month due to stress related issues, she returned in January 2025 only to find intensified scrutiny through emails questioning her performance.
In February 2025, after raising concerns directly with Gibson regarding discrimination and harassment, management initiated disciplinary proceedings against Hawkins based on what she describes as vague allegations unsupported by evidence. At this time, many of her job responsibilities were reassigned without explanation to a younger colleague.
On March 28, 2025, Hawkins escalated her concerns about discrimination to MetroHealth leadership but reports that an internal review dismissed them as “unsubstantiated” without addressing key evidence or documented patterns of conduct. In July 2025 she received a verbal warning over accusations she says were inaccurate; shortly thereafter—on or about July 18—her employment was terminated.
The lawsuit alleges violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (race discrimination), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age discrimination), retaliation statutes under both laws for protected activity participation, as well as claims of enduring a hostile work environment due to severe harassment based on race and age.
Hawkins seeks damages including lost wages and benefits, front pay or reinstatement at MetroHealth System if appropriate relief is granted by the court; compensatory damages for emotional distress; liquidated damages under federal law for willful violations; attorney’s fees; litigation costs; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; along with any other relief deemed just by the court.
Attorney Isaac Tom Monah of Monah Law Offices represents Valerie Hawkins in this matter under case number 1:26-cv-00593.
Source: 126cv00593_Hawkins_v_Metro_Health_System_Complaint_Northern_District_Ohio.pdf
