Navigation Former Employee Alleges Racial Discrimination Against St. Petersburg Free Clinic
In a dramatic legal showdown, a former employee of a well-known clinic is taking her battle to court, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation that culminated in her wrongful termination. Geni Horne filed a complaint against St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Inc., on May 2, 2025, in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida.
Geni Horne’s lawsuit accuses the St. Petersburg Free Clinic of violating the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 by discriminating against her based on race and retaliating after she engaged in protected activities. Horne, an African American Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), began working at the clinic on May 31, 2022, and was terminated on January 26, 2024. She claims she was the only African American APRN provider at the time of her employment commencement and one of only two at the time of her termination.
Horne alleges that shortly after starting her job, she noticed significant deficiencies in the clinic’s operations regarding patient care standards and eligibility procedures. She raised these concerns with her supervisor and other management officials but was met with resistance. Her complaints included issues such as failure to verify insurance status, lack of patient identification verification, absence of proof-of-income requirements, and service expansion beyond Pinellas County.
