A former senior living executive maintains that he was fired in retaliation for reporting his employer to the state for a “lack of appropriate staffing levels.”
Parton Bangart filed a lawsuit last week in Douglas County Superior Court alleging that Bonaventure of East Wenatchee in East Wenatchee, WA, fired him in 2022 from his executive director position in the assisted living and memory care community in retaliation for informing the state Department of Health and Human Services that the community was not staffed properly.
He also reportedly recommended that the state issue a “stop placement order” on the community to prevent more residents from moving in, according to Wenatchee World. The community is owned by Mountain West Retirement Corp., based in Salem, OR.
A spokesperson for Bonaventure Senior Living told McKnight’s Senior Living that Bangert’s lawsuit is an “inaccurate and unfair description of the facts and the good work of our people.”
“We are confident in the company’s long-standing and ongoing compliance with industry regulations,” the spokesperson said. “Bonaventure looks forward to bringing the truth to light and expects complete vindication through the legal process.”
Bangart alleged that he was told during the hiring process that there were no “ongoing investigations with any governmental regulatory entities,” according to the media outlet. He said that he later learned that the community was under investigation by the state and the local fire marshal, according to the media outlet.
Bangart also said that he repeatedly told supervisors about the inappropriate staffing levels — claiming at one time that there was only one caregiver for 70 residents — and suggested raising pay to market levels. He also said he conveyed concerns from family members about staffing levels.
After he reported the community to the state, Bonaventure Regional Director of Operations Brenda K. Chambers, also named in the suit, reportedly confronted Bangart. He was fired that same day.
Bangart is seeking past and future lost wages and damages.
