ST. LOUIS — A woman and former employee is suing is suing Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital (PMHS) after she claims she was retaliated against.
Joanie White-Wagoner, a healthcare executive with nearly 30 years of experience, filed the lawsuit against PMHS and Pemiscot County, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
"Ms. White-Wagoner looks forward to pursuing her legal remedies,” Danel A. Dufresne of Dufresne Law Firm, her attorney, said in an interview with The St. Louis Record. “The facts and the law are on Ms. White-Wagoner's side and she anticipates a positive outcome."
White-Wagoner claims she faced discrimination and retaliation during her employment as CEO at PMHS.
White-Wagoner began working in healthcare in 1997 when she worked for the Department of Defense in Italy. She later joined the U.S. Air Force, worked in various healthcare roles and earned multiple degrees, including a Master's in Healthcare Administration and a Master's in Business Administration.
Over the years, she held leadership roles in several hospitals, successfully turning around financially troubled institutions and overseeing large projects, according to the complaint.
In 2023, White-Wagoner was hired as CEO of PMHS, a position previously held by multiple male CEOs.
Despite her extensive qualifications, she discovered that her compensation was less than her predecessor, Sunil Gungee, who received benefits she did not.
White-Wagoner's employment contract guaranteed her an annual salary of $260,000 through 2026, but she was abruptly terminated in January 2024, without receiving the required written notice, according to the suit.
During her brief time at PMHS, White-Wagoner worked hard to address the hospital’s financial troubles and compliance issues, the complaint states.
White-Wagoner claims she reported various violations to state and federal authorities, including billing and wage violations, misuse of USDA grant funds and Medicare and Medicaid compliance issues.
The reports were met with hostility from the PMHS Board of Directors, and despite her efforts to improve the hospital, she faced retaliation, according to the suit.
White-Wagoner claims she was also diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder, in 2017, and it significantly impacted her health.
She claims she informed PMHS about her condition and requested to live in Tennessee to access better medical care.
While the board initially approved this arrangement, they later harassed her during her hospital stays, demanding constant availability and pressuring her to return to work.
After her termination, PMHS hired a male CEO, David Ketchum, with less experience than White-Wagoner but a higher salary, according to the suit.
Despite being let go, White-Wagoner continued to receive her salary, but PMHS appeared to be using a clause in her contract to avoid paying her through 2026, the complaint states.
White-Wagoner contends this clause is invalid due to violations of the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act.
White-Wagoner claims she was discriminated against based on her gender, age and disability, and that she was wrongfully terminated in retaliation for reporting legal violations at PMHS.
White-Wagoner is seeking compensation for her wrongful termination and other damages related to her treatment by the hospital, as well as an order requiring the defendants to take other appropriate non-discriminatory measures to overcome the effects of discrimination.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Southeastern Division case number: 1:24-cv-00169