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An Open Letter to

The Board of Directors of the

Bergen Community Regional Blood Center

Back in 2002, when you voted for the merger of your organization and the HLA Registry Foundation, I was the most senior employee of the Registry, having joined it in 1986. I held a management position at the Registry, and I believe, I was among the most educated, experienced and dedicated employees the Blood Center could ever hope to count among it’s staff. I believe it is fair to say that I was instrumental in the creation and growth of The HLA Registry Foundation. Your organization has benefited from my years of work helping to build the Registry, the work done by my coworkers, and the countless individuals who have supported the Registry since it’s creation.

Rather than finding a supportive environment and being welcomed and respected by the Management of the Blood Center, what I found was a hostile, offensive, untrusting and untrustworthy Management. Their treatment of me was egregious. I was wrongly suspected of criminal misconduct, humiliated by their actions and defamed by slanderous statements that your Management made to my coworkers out of my presence, and without any basis in fact whatsoever. I don’t know if this was a result of incompetence, malice, a combination of both, or something else altogether. It makes little difference to me at this point.

I made numerous unsuccessful attempts, including through C.T., your HR Director, and through Elie Katz, the founder of the HLA Registry Foundation, to meet with D.T., your Chief Executive. These attempts were rebuffed or ignored. Sadly, I found C.T., your Director of Human Resources at the time, to be consistently untruthful with me, completely uninformed, or both. Had I been afforded the opportunity to meet with D.T., your CEO, and had I been dealt with fairly and honestly, I doubt it would have been necessary to file a lawsuit against the Blood Center in order to receive the compensation I was owed. Having no other recourse, I decided to take legal action.

As you are aware, I filed a civil lawsuit against the Blood Center to recover compensation which I was owed, but which Management refused to acknowledge my entitlement to. That lawsuit resulted in a 2004 settlement in which the Blood Center agreed to pay me most of what I sued for.

Back in early 2003, I had indicated to your Human Resources Director my desire to address the Board members regarding the situation. Sadly, that request fell on the same deaf ears that my other requests were met with. Therefore, I have chosen to employ this public forum to bring my concerns to your attention.

Perhaps had I been afforded a hearing to air my concerns, and been dealt with in a different manner, things might have turned out much differently. Perhaps I would be a valued, trusted employee of the Blood Center today. I’m certain that I could have contributed much to the Blood Center. My sincere hope is that the Board thoroughly examines the way employees are treated by Management. It is in the best interest of both the Blood Center and it’s employees to have Management that treats employees honestly and fairly, and which fosters a climate of trust. My personal experience and opinion is that such is not the case. Perhaps it was the same feeling your employees had in the past when they voted for Union representation (although it is my understanding that your employees have not been represented by a Union for the past few years).

It is regrettable that I felt it necessary to address you in this indirect and impersonal way. I hope you find the story I have presented on this website interesting and enlightening. Thank you for your time.

- K.L.