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[email protected] 125TH YEAR, 31ST ISSUE LITTLETON, N.H., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2009 75¢ (USPS 315-760) Former LRH JUST HANGING AROUND employees file lawsuit By ART McGRATH in that suit. That person,
[email protected] Antoinette Thomas required LITTLETON—Littleton Heinrichs to take notes concern- Regional Hospital (LRH) is cur- ing counseling sessions he held rently the subject of an unlawful in the course of his duties as pas- termination lawsuit by former tor, sessions that were supposed employees. to be kept confidential. The lawsuit, filed by Mark Bisson, a nurse with 20 years Heinrichs and Deborah Bisson experience, alleged in her suit July 29, alleges that both were against LRH that conditions for fired because the hospital admin- the nursing staff were extreme, istration engaged in a pattern of and that while many hospitals intimidation against its employ- are understaffed, LRH was dan- ees who were outspoken, rather gerously so. Many nurses worked than laid off for the economic for 12 hours at a time without reasons given by LRH adminis- even a break, she said. trators. The resignation of a depart- Heinrichs and Bisson were ment head just as she arrived left both part of a layoff on May 19 “the occupational and employee when seven people were cut from health departments in a turmoil.” the hospital staff. Bisson also alleged that, like This was the latest in a series Heinrichs, when she tried to of such suits. In May 2008, for- offer suggestions or opinions she mer nurse Christopher Pollich was told they “were not wel- sued LRH for wrongful termina- come.” Objections she made to tion, citing many of the same using elderly volunteers to shred reasons as Heinrichs and Bisson.