Phila. Community Center Must Face Employees’ Retaliation Claims, Federal Judge Rules

PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit in which the former employees of a community center accuse it of firing them in retaliation for complaining about its failure to implement COVID-19 safeguards and its decision to reopen a week after a worker had tested positive for the virus.

In a June 4 order, Judge Timothy J. Savage of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania concluded the employees’ allegations sufficiently alleged violations of the Philadelphia COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance.

Old Pine Community Center offers a feeding program for low-income residents and an …