In a gripping legal battle, a former employee has filed a lawsuit against her previous employer, alleging severe workplace discrimination and wrongful termination. The complaint was lodged by Roxanne Liles in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, on March 7, 2025, targeting Community Memorial Health System. Liles claims she endured a hostile work environment characterized by racial, age, and gender discrimination.
Roxanne Liles' lawsuit against Community Memorial Health System paints a vivid picture of alleged workplace injustices that began shortly after her employment commenced in November 2023. As a 47-year-old Hispanic female with a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Louisiana State University and holding a California Clinical Laboratory Scientist License, Liles was hired as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist/Microbiologist. Despite her qualifications, she was subjected to an extended four-month training period compared to her younger Asian male counterparts who completed only two months. "The workplace was predominantly Asian," the complaint notes, adding that this demographic disparity contributed to discriminatory practices such as requiring Liles to work every Saturday without rotation and denying her schedule flexibility granted to others for family or religious reasons.
Liles’ ordeal escalated when she reported discriminatory treatment by manager Minerva Vasquez to Human Resources in January 2024. Her complaints were met with retaliation rather than resolution; by March 25, 2024, she received her first written disciplinary notice following an attempt to address these issues with HR earlier that month. In May 2024, further harassment ensued from Microbiology Supervisor Jane Choe over trivial matters like "quiz games." By September 2024, Liles faced contrived performance issues leading up to her wrongful termination on December 20, 2024.
The plaintiff is seeking comprehensive redress through the court system for what she describes as willful and malicious conduct by the defendants. The complaint outlines numerous violations under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), including race/national origin discrimination (Gov't Code §12940(a)), age discrimination (Gov't Code §12940(a)), gender discrimination (Gov't Code §12940(a)), retaliation (Gov't Code §12940(h)), harassment (Gov't Code §12940(j)), failure to prevent discrimination (Gov't Code §12940(k)), and constructive discharge among others. Additionally, labor code violations concerning meal and rest breaks are cited under Labor Code §§226.7 and 512.
In terms of relief sought from the court, Liles demands general and compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits alongside punitive damages aimed at deterring similar future conduct by employers. She also seeks compensation for emotional distress caused by the hostile work environment along with attorneys' fees under Government Code section 12965(b). The plaintiff emphasizes that the defendants’ actions have forced her into lesser employment opportunities resulting in continued economic hardship.
Representing Roxanne Liles are attorneys Joshua I. White and Elizabeth Villarreal from Laurel Employment Law based in Santa Monica, CA. The case is being presided over by Judge Brenda Comack under Case No.: 2025 CLV WT OS997"45 at the Superior Court of California in Ventura County.