Twenty-five students who were enrolled in the Master of Nurse Anesthesia program at Wolford College obtained a federal jury verdict in their favor following a three week trial.
Between June 2009 and June 2012, the students were enrolled in the Master of Nurse Anesthesia program at Wolford College, LLC, a for-profit college located in Naples, Florida. Wolford College is owned by some of the same physicians and executives who also own Collier Anesthesia, P.A., which is where the students were assigned to work during the clinical portion of their education to become certified registered nurse anesthetists.
The students were represented by Bradley Rothman of Weldon & Rothman, PL of Naples, Florida and Ryan Barack and Michelle Nadeau of Kwall Barack Nadeau PLLC of Clearwater, Florida.
The jury found that the anesthesia practice and the college implemented the internship program to primarily benefit the businesses and not the students. Consequently, the students were entitled to be paid wages for the work they performed.
“It was never about money. Our clients wanted change.” said Bradley Rothman, one of the attorneys for the students. “It has been a long road but we are very happy that the jury vindicated our position. If the primary beneficiary of an internship program isn’t the students, then the students should be paid for their labor,” said Ryan Barack, another of the attorneys for the students.
The case is Schumann et al v. Collier Anesthesia, P.A. et al., Case No. 2:12-cv-00347-JES-CM (Middle District of Florida), which was originally filed June 29, 2012.
For additional information, please contact Bradley Rothman, Esq. of Weldon & Rothman, PL at 239-262-2141, or via e-mail at brothman@weldonrothman.com.
