A legal complaint claims that an employee was disciplined and terminated after reporting unsafe working conditions and racial harassment at a healthcare facility. The lawsuit was filed by Dylan Loveland on March 16, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan against Atrium Timbers, LLC, which does business as The Timbers of Cass County.
According to the complaint, Loveland began working for the defendant as a housekeeper in December 2023 before being promoted to Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) in July 2024. The filing states that Loveland consistently performed well in his roles. However, starting in March 2025, he raised concerns with management about inadequate staffing levels caused by aides leaving early. These staffing shortages allegedly resulted in heavier workloads for remaining staff members and compromised resident care.
The complaint outlines that Loveland first reported these issues on March 3, 2025, and again on March 7, 2025. Shortly afterward, on March 13, 2025, Loveland alleges he was reprimanded publicly for not wearing a mask—a policy change he says he was unaware of due to recent days off. He claims this reprimand was retaliation for his earlier complaints about health and safety conditions.
Further disciplinary actions followed. On March 19, 2025, Loveland received a documented verbal warning for what the company described as confrontational behavior with staff members and insubordination related to mask-wearing. The lawsuit asserts that these disciplinary measures were false and intended as retaliation: “The defendant’s disciplinary action against Mr. Loveland was false and a pretext, because it was actually retaliation against him for complaining about the health and safety concerns set forth above.”
Loveland also alleges experiencing harassment from a co-worker. On April 4, 2025, according to the complaint, an African American co-worker whom Loveland had previously reported for leaving work early used both sexual and racial slurs toward him—including calling him a “bitch” and a “nigger”—and threatened him with reference to her son. Although Loveland recognized these terms are typically directed at African American women rather than white men like himself, he interpreted them as attempts to belittle him based on his race.
The complaint states that Loveland reported this incident immediately to a supervisory charge nurse. A witness also reported the incident to human resources three days later. According to the filing, Atrium Timbers terminated the employment of this co-worker shortly after her report but did not discipline her following Loveland’s initial complaint.
On April 10, 2025, Loveland expressed concern over having to continue working alongside the co-worker who had allegedly harassed him. Subsequently, he was placed on unpaid suspension over an abuse allegation involving another patient—an allegation that ultimately proved unsubstantiated when it was determined another employee named Dylan had been involved instead.
After returning from suspension without pay or compensation for lost wages during that period, Loveland received another disciplinary write-up for alleged unprofessionalism—an accusation he denies occurred—and claims he was never told whether this constituted an official written warning.
On March 22, 2025 (noting some dates appear out of sequence), Atrium Timbers terminated Loveland’s employment citing excessive tardiness—a reason which he disputes: “The reason given for the termination was a pretext for retaliation because Mr. Loveland had never been tardy.” The filing further alleges that write-ups supporting his termination were signed by an administrator after his firing with dates predating when that administrator began working at the facility.
Loveland contends that these actions have caused ongoing loss of income and benefits as well as emotional distress: “As a result of the unlawful retaliatory termination set forth above Mr. Loveland suffered and will continue to suffer a loss of income and benefits emotional distress a loss of enjoyment of life and other damages.” He brings two counts against Atrium Timbers: violation of public policy due to retaliatory discharge after reporting health and safety violations; and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 along with state law provisions after reporting racial discrimination.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages sufficient to cover past and future losses plus interest costs attorney’s fees punitive damages where applicable under federal law state law relief deemed fair by the court.
Dylan Loveland is represented by attorney William F. Piper (P38636) of William F. Piper PLC in Portage Michigan. The case is identified as Case No. 1:25-cv-273 before Judge Paul L. Maloney.
Source: 126cv00850_Dylan_loveland_v_Atrium_Timbers_Complaint_Western_District_of_Michigan.pdf
