Racist? Black Hospital Employee Claims White Co-Worker Knitted a Monkey With His Name On It

Imagine experiencing a racial micro-aggression and you’re fired after reporting it to you boss, and the other person involved faces zero consequences. That is what Caleb Ferguson, a Black man, is claiming happened to him during his time at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

On Tuesday, he filed a lawsuit alleging a white coworker knitted a monkey doll with his name on it and showed it to others in the building while he worked at the hospital. Although he claims that he told his supervisor about the incident, nothing was done about it, and instead, he was the one who lost his job, according to the Tribune-Review.

Along with what appeared to be a racially-charged micro-aggression, the suit also alleges a hostile work environment and unlawful retaliation based on race. He’s seeking compensatory damages.

More from the Tribune-Review:

Ferguson started working in the hospital’s transport unit in December 2022, earning positive reviews and a raise, the complaint said.

However, the lawsuit alleges Ferguson was fired on April 6, just days after he complained about two incidents with his co-worker.

That co-worker, a white woman, often knitted dolls while at work, the complaint said.

According to the lawsuit, on March 20, someone at work asked the woman what she was making, and she replied, “‘I’m making a monkey.’ She then held up the unfinished work and said, ‘Look, it’s Caleb.’”

The complaint said that Ferguson’s supervisor was either present when the comment was made or learned about it a short time later.

The allegations only get worse, as the suit details that just a week after she said, “Look, it’s Caleb,” she announced she finished the knitted monkey in front of several people (including their supervisor) and held it up while saying, “Everyone, meet Caleb.”

That’s the incident that ticked off Ferguson and led him to report it to his boss so the knitter could be reprimanded. He says it was “humiliating” to be called a “known racial slur” in front of multiple people, according to the Tribune-Review.

Instead of giving Ferguson assurances that something would happen, he claims that his supervisor simply said he would “handle it,” but did not explain how so. He didn’t, and the white woman responsible was seen working shortly after.

So why was Ferguson fired? He claims that on April 2, he got into an argument with a co-worker over a work-related issue. As a result, his supervisor allegedly called hospital security and asked him to be removed, according to the Tribune-Review.

When Ferguson returned to work the next day, he was told he was suspended. Then a few days later, he was fired permanently.