Metro Council Member Zulfat Suara filed a lawsuit against her former employer for alleged discrimination last week after being fired from a black medical school.
Last October, Suara, who had worked at MeHarry Medical College (MMC) since 2015, was fired by the college. At the time, Suara worked as the assistant vice president for Finance – Grant Accounting Management in the Grants Management Office.
In her lawsuit, Suara (pictured above) alleged her Muslim faith and ethnicity played a role in her being fired.
The lawsuit alleged MMC failed to provide her with a termination letter explaining why she was fired, unemployment benefits information, an insurance coverage offer, or a severance payment offer.
Suara’s lawsuit claimed MMC violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for not giving her the “same treatment as other similarly-situated employees.”
“There can be no doubt that MMC knew about her religious faith and her ethnic background. Suara identifies herself as an individual of Nigerian descent and speaks with an accent,” the lawsuit said.
While working for MMC, Suara was in charge of reviewing her department’s grants and helping manage the college’s budget and institutional regulations, the lawsuit stated.
After termination, MMC, which started in 1876, did not provide the council member with a termination letter, the lawsuit alleged.
Suara said she requested a termination letter, but MMC refused her request through legal counsel, the lawsuit stated. Suara has asked for a letter multiple times, but has been denied every time, the lawsuit noted.
In the filing, Suara cites examples of other employees who were fired and received termination letters.
“Suara believes MMC’s decision to terminate her employment and its treatment of her following her termination was completely unjustified and discriminatory. MMC has since hired a
non-Muslim and non-Nigerian-American to perform the same job duties that she previously handled,” the lawsuit said.
Suara, who is a public figure, said her “reputation is of paramount importance to her,” adding that she “remains troubled by implications made by MMC that her department may have been involved in potentially illegal or illicit activities.”
The lawsuit stated Suara “never engaged in such conduct, nor has she been informed directly that such allegations were a basis for her termination.”
Suara’s “mental and emotional well-being” has been impacted by the “uncertainty surrounding this situation,” the lawsuit stated.
The council member has “had difficulty finding employment because employers appear concerned that MMC gave no explanation for her termination and has made public statements implying that her department was involved in wrongdoing.”
According to the lawsuit, Suara is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs.
Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski & Wall is representing Suara in her lawsuit. This law firm employs Suara’s fellow council member, Jeff Preptit.
Suara filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.
