Shaheen Ahmad, represented by her husband Attorney Malik Ahmad, filed a lawsuit against University Medical Center for wrongful termination, a violation of due process procedural rights under US and Nevada constitution and a violation of UMC policy and procedure.

Ms. Ahmad has continuously worked 18-years for UMC.  During her 18 year tenure, Ahmad starting from staff nurse moved up to charge nurse and eventually promoted to the position of Assistant Clinical Manager, Cardiology.  In 2014, Ahmad was recommended to the position of Assistant Clinical Manager to Manager, Cardiology.  As per the lawsuit, Ahmad’s job performance during the course of employment at UMC was exemplary with no prior disciplinary action of any kind.  As an Assistant Clinical Manager, Ahmad managed numerous departments at UMC and supervised 45 employees including EKG techs and nurses. 

Due to an internal reorganization, Ahmad’s promised promotion was delayed.  When Ahmad inquired about her pending promotion and the reasons why it was withheld, she was curtly told by an Assistant Chief Nursing officer – “No promotion for her and if she does not like it she can go elsewhere” in a very rebuking, mocking and insulting tone.  It is alleged that this conversation led to a retaliatory and untimely performance improvement plan against Ms. Shaheen.

UMC procedure calls for the performance evaluation should be completed by the employee’s immediate supervisor.  In Ahmad’s case the evaluation wasn’t done by her immediate supervisor.  Evaluation was done by Asst. Chief Nursing Officer who had no direct knowledge of Ahmad’s performance.

During her routine tasks, Ms. Ahmad was responsible for assigning EKG techs and due to shortage of available EKG techs during the last holiday season and finding no willing employee to schedule, she scheduled an out-of-classification UMC employee to cover the shift on December 30^th, 2014.  It is alleged that Ms. Ahmad was terminated from her job as Assistant Manager, Cardiology Department for scheduling an out-of-classification employee.