'No Haitians': nursing job ad's race-based criteria sparks outrage

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/19/nursing-job-ad-no-haitians-racism-new-york

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An advertisement for a nursing position has created a storm of outrage over one of its job criteria: no Haitians.

The ad, in the 15 October print New City edition of the weekly Pennysaver, said Interim Healthcare Inc was looking for a female nurse for a job in West Haverstraw, in Rockland County. It said: “Laid back nurse, no Haitians” and required that candidates also have state certifications.

Interim, an in-home nursing provider, issued a statement from its president, Kathleen McNally, on its Facebook page and website, saying the ad is “totally unacceptable and is offensive to us”. She said a review would be conducted to look at what happened and make sure that it didn’t happen again.

“Please accept our sincere apology. In particular, we apologize to the entire Haitian community,” McNally said.

The Pennysaver Group said Monday that the ad was published by mistake and without “proper editing protocol” and has since been removed.

“We deeply apologize to our readers and the Haitian community,” the company’s chairman and chief operating officer said.

The Haitian American Nurses Association of Greater New York said it was appalled by the ad.

State senator David Carlucci, who represents part of Rockland County, called on the state’s labor department to investigate.

West Haverstraw, a town of about 10,000 residents, is about 40 miles north of New York City.