Faith Countryside worker claims he was let go for refusing to lie

A Highland man says he was fired from his job at a nursing home because he refused to lie about another employee's termination.

David Cason filed a lawsuit Aug. 26 in Madison County Circuit Court against Faith Countryside Homes Inc. and its executive director, Jerry Harman.

According to the complaint, Cason was working as a maintenance director for the Highland nursing home beginning in October 2007. In April of this year Cason claims he discussed with Harman another employee's work schedule, explaining to him that the employee could only work part-time because he was suffering from cancer and was unable to do certain manual labor.

Cason contends Harman and Countryside Homes forced him to tell the employee his part-time position was being turned into a full-time one, so he was being laid off.

Cason alleges Harman and Countryside Homes then ordered him to say the employee left voluntarily to avoid having to pay unemployment compensation. Cason says he refused to lie and was fired as a result. Cason also claims his former employer owes him more than $7,300 in overtime for which he was allegedly never paid.

Cason is suing Faith Countryside Homes and Harman for retaliatory discharge and unpaid wages. He seeks more than $200,000 in damages for lost wages and benefits plus court costs.

Attorney Greg Roosevelt of Edwardsville is representing Cason.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 11-L-853