Michigan home health and hospice agency settles EEOC suit alleging race-based visit assignments
Published November 8, 2026 · Coverage November 1–7, 2026, Pacific · Lower priority
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on November 3 that Mid-Michigan Home Health & Hospice, L.L.C. will pay $41,137 under a five-year consent decree resolving a Title VII race discrimination and retaliation suit (E.D. Mich., Case No. 26-cv-10632). The EEOC alleged a Black certified nurse assistant was given fewer home visits in an area described as not caring for Black people, and was fired within 48 hours of complaining. The decree also requires annual training and annual reports on race complaints and on where each aide was assigned.
Background
The EEOC describes itself as the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. It states that the conduct it alleged here violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination and retaliation for complaining about it. The EEOC filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
Who this affects
Home health, hospice and hospital staffing functions that assign caregivers to patients or locations.
Why it matters
Inference: a hospital, home health or hospice operation that assigns caregivers by race, including to accommodate a patient's or customer's preference, faces the kind of claim the EEOC brought here; the EEOC's regional attorney commended the company for putting in place practices to ensure home assignments are not based on race, regardless of customer preference, and assignment data can be reviewed for patterns.
Required actions
- None for other providers. The consent decree's payment, training and reporting obligations fall on the settling company.
Recommended action
- Confirm caregiver assignment policies prohibit honoring patient or family requests based on a protected characteristic, and route such requests to HR.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Settled
- Responsible owner
- HR; Home Health and Hospice Operations
- Publication date
- 2026-11-03
- Other dates
- Five-year consent decree.
Not established
Consent decree not retrieved.
Sources
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