A US federal judge has denied a Staten Island health provider’s attempt to prevent the Department of Labor from pursuing damages for a covid-19 whistleblower whose private state whistleblower claim had previously been dismissed.

In June 2021, the department filed suit against Community Health Center of Richmond and its CEO, Henry Thompson, alleging that they violated the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act when they suspended and later terminated an employee who raised concerns about the potential for covid exposure at an in-person staff meeting.