No Haitians Need Apply: Healthcare Company Draws Criticism For Racist Ad

“No haitians [sic],” reads a an offer for employment posted in the Rockland County, New York, Pennysaver last week, Lohud reports. The “help wanted” ad was commissioned by Interim HealthCare Inc., and aimed to solicit a home healthcare nurse to work early mornings

"Monday-Thursday 7:45am-3:45pm effective 11/23-12/17 Laid back [sic] nurse, no haitians [sic] , must have strong respiratory [management] [...] must have NYS certification,” it said.

That’s right -- no Haitians, but typos are just fine. New York State Senator David Carlucci denounced the ad on Twitter, including a photograph of the original ad.

“I am outraged that this help wanted ad was posted and I stand in solidarity with many throughout the community who are equally outraged,” Carlucci said on Twitter, adding in a comment to Fox News that "Interim HealthCare should be ashamed of itself, and Pennysaver should strongly reconsider running any job postings from Interim Healthcare in future publications."

Carlucci also called on the the New York State Department of Labor and the federal Equal Opportunity Employment Commission to conduct an investigation of the ad. Employment discrimination on the based on place of birth or ancestry is a violation of federal law.

Carlucci's tweets revealed the phone number for the office, as well as the names of two employees connected to the ad.

An online backlash against Interim HealthCare has ensued, with critics lambasting the company on its official twitter in replies to it’s most recent posts, which do not include an official apology for the “help wanted” ad. The company did issue an apology to the press.

Interim HealthCare president Katherine McNally did release a statement to press, apologizing for the as and promising to provide more oversight of its employees in the future.

"We value the diversity of our patients and our employees. The ad in the Pennysaver for an LPN is totally unacceptable and is offensive to us, and we know to all of you. I can assure you that we take this seriously. We have engaged an independent third party to conduct a comprehensive review of what occurred. All policies and procedures will be reviewed to assure that it will never happen again. We have already taken action and will continue to do so. Please accept our sincere apology. In particular, we apologize to the entire Haitian community."

McNally did not comment on the two Interim Healthcare employees, Nataliya and Annie, or specify if they were responsible for the text in the ad. An ad listed on careerbuilder.com for Interim, also citing those name, suggests that the local branch is an independently-owned franchise.