Attorney Files Lawsuits Against RI Medical Corporations Over Vaccine Mandate Firings
Attorney Greg Piccirilli has filed lawsuits in state Superior Court against three major Rhode Island medical corporations—Lifespan, Care New England, and Chartercare Health Partners—on behalf of 73 hospital and medical staff terminated for refusing to comply with the state’s 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
The lawsuit announced Thursday by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity are seen as a precursor to future legal actions challenging government mandates and protecting civil rights.
The terminated employees include Ann Rich, a 63-year-old registered nurse from Cranston, who was fired from Women & Infants Hospital, a Care New England facility, after 24 years of employment. Rich and other plaintiffs will join Piccirilli on the #InTheDugout with Mike Stenhouse podcast to discuss their cases.
The Center, which plans to launch a public interest legal team in 2025, cited these lawsuits as an example of the kind of legal actions it will pursue to defend constitutional rights. While it is not yet confirmed if Piccirilli’s future work on these lawsuits will fall under the Center’s upcoming legal initiative, he is expected to play a key role in its efforts.
Piccirilli has a track record of challenging vaccine and school mask mandates, having represented clients in both state and federal courts, including the Center’s chairman, Dr. Stephen Skoly. He is part of a growing national network of attorneys who have successfully contested pandemic-related government mandates.