ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced it is filing a lawsuit against Albany Medical Center on Tuesday.
NYSNA says it’s filing the lawsuit over violations regarding forced labor provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
The federal complaint cites the Philippine Recruitment Program that Albany Medical Center (AMC) began in 2002. In the last 17 years, NYSNA says the hospital has recruited almost 600 nurses from the Philippines to work in Albany. As a stipulation of employment, each recruited nurse was required to sign a contract that contained clauses NYSNA contends are illegal, such as:
- A penalty of up to $20,000 if the recruited nurse resigned from AMC before a three year period ended.
- The threat that if the nurse breached the contract, AMC would report the nurse to federal immigration authorities, which could result in deportation proceedings.
NEWS10 ABC has reached out to Albany Medical Center for a statement regarding the lawsuit.
The federal complaint can be viewed here.
