A lawsuit against Columbia Memorial Hospital alleges unlawful termination.

A former construction project manager for Columbia Memorial Hospital has filed a lawsuit alleging he was terminated in October 2023 after drawing attention to unlawful practices.

Rick Miles, who was hired in May 2023 to manage a portfolio of construction projects, claims he raised concerns about a proposal the Astoria hospital received from Rickenbach Construction Inc. that was significantly higher than the range he had projected.

Miles also claims he received pushback for flagging problems with mold at a building used by hospital finance staff. Last fall, staff was relocated from the Ellis Building to the Health & Wellness Pavilion after testing revealed elevated levels of mold.

The lawsuit, filed this month in Clatsop County Circuit Court, alleges unlawful termination from employment for whistleblowing, retaliation and aiding, abetting and inciting unlawful employment practices. The lawsuit names Columbia Memorial and Erik Thorsen, the hospital’s CEO, as defendants.

“We are committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive and safe workplace that respects the rights of all our employees,” a Columbia Memorial spokesperson said in a statement. “Mr. Miles worked for CMH for five months in 2023, and we are disappointed to learn of the baseless allegations in his lawsuit.

“CMH will vigorously defend this lawsuit, and we trust that the facts will come out in a court of law. We can make no further comments at this time.”

Rickenbach Construction, an Astoria firm, could not be reached for comment.