Negotiations between The MetroHealth System and former CEO Aircia Steed may have reached a breaking point, according to her attorneys.
Steed, who was fired by MetroHealth's Board of Trustees in August, has alleged she was unjustly let go, and that the public firing has damaged her career. Her legal team is seeking a separation agreement that accounts for that damage, but negotiations have stalled, said F. Allen Boseman, Jr., Steed's attorney.
Boseman, Jr. alleged that Steed has not received payments owed to her by MetroHealth, including unused vacation and sick time pay.
“We have always been willing to see if there was a potential to reach an amicable resolution with MetroHealth, but we are quickly losing confidence in that course of action, because as of today, 60 days since her separation, she still has not received payments that are owed to her pursuant to company policy," Boseman, Jr. said.
A spokesperson for MetroHealth said the board continues to negotiate in good faith with Steed toward a separation agreement, adding, "MetroHealth does not negotiate through the news media."
A defamation suit against the health system isn’t off the table, Boseman, Jr. said, adding that national civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who joined Steed's legal team in August, is still working with them on the case.
MetroHealth parted ways with Steed as she was finishing a medical leave. The board fired her without cause, citing a lack of confidence in her leadership abilities.
“She has a 20-year career ahead of her," Boseman, Jr. said. "Prior to coming to MetroHealth, she had a sterling reputation for 25 years, impeccable reputation for 25 years in the health care industry. A year and a half at MetroHealth has torn down a 25-year career.”
A summary of Steed's performance evaluation from March 1, 2024, provided by MetroHealth in August, said Steed met or exceeded expectations for mission strategy, quality, safety and experience, financial management and community and external relations, but said she was below expectations in effective leadership of the management team and her relationship with the board and board chair.
Steed's attorneys alleged issues she raised about operations at MetroHealth were the true reasons for her firing.
MetroHealth remains in a dispute with Steed's predecessor, Akram Boutros. A local judge dismissed a lawsuit this week filed by Boutros against the MetroHealth board about his firing back in 2022. His attorney said they plan to appeal the decision.
