Question

Form an ethical position on the decision of the managers of Plainfield Healthcare Center to honor their white patients' requests to be helped only by members of their own race. Consider whether Brenda Chaney was subjected to a hostile workplace on the basis of her race. If yes, how?

Did the managers of Plainfield Healthcare Center unethically discriminate against Chaney? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

By banishing the black Nursing assistants to serve certain white patients who liked to be served only by white attendants, Plainfiled created a work environment that alienated black workers by making them feel inferior to the other white workers who were emboldened to such extent that they started hurling racially abusive comments and vulgar words to humiliate Brenda Chaney. These included Brenda's supervisor who, in front of her colleagues, expressed utter disgust by the presence of the blacks and hoped that they will be fired soon. This prompted many others to take potshots against her. All this, created a hostile work environment for Branda because of her race.

Plainfield's managers discriminated against Branda right from the time they forbade her servie to the whites. They overlooked and ignored the racial slur against Branda by her colleagues and supervisors and created a situation where she was wronged compeletely, facing an allegation of profanity while treating a patient and removed from the job.