Hamilton v. Newport Hospital & Health Services

Newport Hospital & Health Services hired Laura Hamilton to serve as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Shortly after arriving she discovered that certain hospital leadership were likely violating HIPAA. As her employment with NHHS wore on Ms. Hamilton came to believe that a senior hospital manager was discriminating on national origin and conducting an interview on company time. Ms. Hamilton reported these suspected legal violations to NHHS’s former CEO (Tom Wilbur) and new CEO (Mary Anne Keane). Within days of reporting the suspected legal violations the Hospital fired Ms. Hamilton.

Following a full week trial the Court found that NHHS retaliated against Ms. Hamilton for whistleblowing and fined Mr. Wilbur and Ms. Keane $3,000 each on account of their retaliatory acts.

A copy of the Court’s order finding that NHHS retaliated against Ms. Hamilton is available here.

As part of the order the Court ordered NHHS to pay Ms. Hamilton’s legal fees. A copy of Ms. Hamilton’s petition for legal fee reimbursement is available here.