Lexington Medical Center fires employee over racial slur online
Lexington Medical Center has fired an employee for a racist comment posted on Facebook.
The employee worked in a clerical position and made “a highly offensive and inappropriate remark on social media last night,” the hospital said in a news release Friday.
“The employee’s comments did not reflect our values and violated our organization’s policies,” the release said. “We do not tolerate that type of behavior. The employee is no longer part of our organization.
“At Lexington Medical Center, our goal is to provide our patients, families and visitors with the finest health care available,” it said. “This care begins with recognizing the dignity, diversity and worth of every individual in our community and committing to treat each other with respect and compassion.”
The employee allegedly used a racist slur in response to an article about the fallout over the death of a black man, George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police earlier this week. Screenshots of the comment have been shared on Facebook and Twitter.
The hospital in a tweet late Thursday night said it was aware of the comment and was “actively investigating the matter.”
Hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Wilson at the time confirmed that the comment was racist in nature and the employee was suspended immediately.
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 9:43 AM.