Two former Abbott Laboratories employees have sued the company, claiming managers retaliated against them after they outed the Scarborough plant for rushing COVID-19 tests, including defective ones, to the public.
The women allege the company retaliated by creating a hostile environment, failing to accommodate their disabilities and not allowing them to work from home. At the time, the company was requiring its employees to work in the office four days a week.
In two separate federal lawsuits filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland, Jennifer Campinell, of Durham, and Jessica Mayhew, of Minot, accused the medical device manufacturing company of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maine Human Rights Act and the Maine Whistleblower Protection Act. They are both represented by Laura White and Danielle Quinlan, attorneys out of Kennebunk.
Campinell has anxiety and depression, while Mayhew has anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (which includes a strong startle response) and a fainting disorder, according to the lawsuits.
Both women said the company’s refusal to accommodate their disabilities and resulting retaliation and a hostile work environment exacerbated their symptoms. They could not be reached through their attorney to discuss their complaints.
Abbott has denied the women’s claims. In a short emailed statement, the company said it “promotes and values a welcoming work environment and is committed to fair treatment of all its employees” and...
Pro Football Hall of Famer and sports media personality Shannon Sharpe has been accused of raping a woman he had been in a consensual sexual relationship with in a lawsuit filed Sunday night in Cl...