Anderson Complaint
Anderson Complaint
Defendants.
Plaintiff Andrea Anderson (“Anderson” or “Plaintiff ”), through her attorneys, Jess
Braverman and Christy L. Hall of Gender Justice, 200 University Ave. West, Suite 200, St. Paul,
Minnesota 55103, for her Complaint against the above-named defendants, states and alleges as
follows:
INTRODUCTION
Plaintiff Andrea Anderson is a mom and a licensed foster parent. She and her partner have
lived in McGregor, Minnesota for several years. McGregor is a small town with only one pharmacy -
Thrifty White.
emergency contraception, ella, and had her doctor send it to the McGregor Thrifty White pharmacy.
She acted quickly because any delay in obtaining emergency contraception increases the risk of
1
pregnancy. The pharmacist on duty told her that he would be unable to fill her prescription because
of his “beliefs.” He also warned her against trying Shopko, another pharmacy in the surrounding
area. The pharmacist did not provide Anderson with any information about how she could get her
prescription filled.
Anderson next tried a CVS pharmacy in Aitkin, Minnesota, a town roughly 20 miles away.
The CVS pharmacist also indicated that she could not fill the prescription. The pharmacist then
claimed that she called a pharmacist at the Walgreens in Brainerd Minnesota, who told her that they
could not fill the prescription either. Anderson later confirmed with that Walgreens pharmacist that
they did speak with a pharmacist from CVS, but that they had told the CVS pharmacist that
Though Anderson finally found a pharmacy that was willing to fill her prescription, it was
over fifty miles from her home. Meanwhile, a massive snowstorm was headed to central Minnesota.
Given the increased risk of pregnancy from any delay in taking emergency contraception, Anderson
drove over 100 miles round trip in the snowstorm in order to fill her prescription. While the drive
normally takes over two hours round trip, that day it took over three hours in light of the storm.
The Defendants in this case singled out health care that only people who may become
prevent Plaintiff from obtaining that care from others by putting delays and obstacles in her path,
failing to provide her a reasonable alternative, and in one instance, even apparently deceiving her
about where she could obtain care. Plaintiff brings this lawsuit to remedy illegal discrimination based
on her sex through denying her service as a result of her pregnancy-related health care needs in
violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act (“MHRA”), Minn. Stat §§ 363A.01, et seq.
2
2. During all relevant times, Defendants Aitkin Pharmacy Services, LLC dba Thrifty White
Pharmacy (“Thrifty White”) and Grand St. Paul CVS, L.L.C., CVS Health Corporation, and
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. were “places of public accommodation,” as defined by Minn. Stat. §
3. Defendant Thrifty White is a Limited Liability Company under Minn. Stat. § 322C registered
in the State of Minnesota. Its registered office is located at 241 W State Hwy 210,
McGregor, MN 55760.
4. During all relevant times, Defendant George Badeaux worked as a pharmacist at Thrifty
5. Defendant Grand St. Paul CVS is a domestic Limited Liability Corporation under Minn.
Stat. § 322C registered to do business in the State of Minnesota. Grand St. Paul CVS does
business as CVS Pharmacy #10397 in Aitkin Minnesota. Its principal executive office is
located at 1 CVS Drive, Woodsocket, Rhode Island, 02895. Its registered office is located at
6. Defendant CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is a foreign corporation registered under Minn Stat. § 303.
Its principle executive office is located at 1 CVS Drive, Woodsocket, Rhode Island, 02895.
Its registered office is located at 1010 Dale St N, Saint Paul, MN 55117. Defendant CVS
located at 1 CVS Drive, Woodsocket, RI 02895. CVS Health Corporation owns CVS
Pharmacy, Inc.
8. At all relevant times, Defendant CVS Pharmacist #1 worked as a pharmacist at the CVS
3
9. The District Court in the County of Aitkin, State of Minnesota, has original jurisdiction
over the parties and all claims set forth in this Complaint pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 484.01,
subd. 1.
10. Venue in this Court is proper pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 542.09, because Defendants are
located in Aitkin County and the unlawful actions alleged herein occurred in Aitkin County.
EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
11. Emergency contraception is a method of birth control that can be used when a regular birth
13. If an individual is already pregnant, meaning that a fertilized egg has implanted in their
14. Currently, there are two types of emergency contraception pills that are approved by the
United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”): ella® (“ella”) and Plan B One-Step®
(“Plan B”). Id. There are also a number of generic versions of Plan B One-Step® available. 3
15. Both ella and Plan B are regarded as safe forms of emergency contraception. They have
limited side effects such as headache, fatigue, and abdominal pain, and “the side effects are
16. Plan B may not work for people who weigh more than 165 pounds. For people in this weight
1
Office on Women’s Health, Emergency Contraception (Apr. 23, 2019),
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/emergency-contraception.
2
Id.
3
Id.
4
Office on Women’s Health, Emergency Contraception (Apr. 23, 2019),
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/emergency-contraception. (emphasis in original).
4
17. Because emergency contraception works by delaying or preventing ovulation, a person must
take the pill as soon as possible after sex, and within five days of having sex, to reduce the
possibility that they will ovulate after having sex but before taking the pill.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
19. On January 20, 2019, Anderson’s primary method of birth control, a condom, failed.
20. Anderson did not want to get pregnant. As a result, she called her regular healthcare
provider, Park Nicollet OB/GYN, on January 21, 2019 to inquire about emergency
contraception.
21. A nurse at Park Nicollet OB/GYN immediately prescribed her ella. Anderson requested that
22. At the time, the Thrifty White was the only pharmacy in McGregor, Minnesota, and was
23. Anderson then called the Thrifty White to confirm that the prescription had been sent over
and that the pharmacy would be able to fill the prescription in a timely manner.
24. When Anderson called the Thrifty White, she spoke with an individual who verified that the
prescription could be delivered to the pharmacy the next day and that the medication was
25. Less than an hour later, Anderson received a call from the on-duty pharmacist at Thrifty
White, George Badeaux. Badeaux informed Anderson that for “personal reasons” he would
26. Anderson was confused by this statement and assumed that Badeaux meant that the
prescription would interact poorly with one of her other prescriptions. She asked Badeaux
for clarification.
5
27. Badeaux clarified that he did not want to fill Anderson’s prescription due to “[his] beliefs.”
He did not clarify what his beliefs were or why they interfered with his ability to perform his
28. Badeaux did not provide Anderson with information about where or how she could get her
prescription filled.
29. When Anderson pushed Badeaux to help her find an alternative, Badeaux informed her that
there would be another pharmacist working the next day, who might be willing to fill the
medication but that he could not guarantee that they would help. He also informed her that
there was a snowstorm coming and the second pharmacist might not make it into work.
30. When Anderson asked about other pharmacies she could go to, Bandeaux simply told her
not to try Shopko in Aitkin because she would probably run into trouble there.
31. Badeaux only told Anderson about other ways in which she would be unable to fill her
prescription. At no time did Badeaux provide Anderson with the name of a pharmacy or
32. Aitkin, Minnesota, is the closest town to McGregor with a pharmacy. Aitkin has a CVS
Pharmacy and the Shopko Pharmacy mentioned by Badeaux. The CVS Pharmacy in Aitkin
is more than 30 miles from Anderson’s home. In contrast, the Thrifty White is
33. After speaking with Badeaux, Anderson called the CVS Pharmacy in Aitkin, Minnesota to
verify that she would be able to fill her prescription at that location.
34. Anderson did not call the Shopko Pharmacy based on Badeaux’s representation that they
6
35. When she called the CVS Pharmacy in Aitkin, Anderson spoke with a female pharmacist,
CVS Pharmacist #1. The pharmacist claimed that she was not able to obtain the medication
from her wholesaler and that she would therefore be unable to fill Anderson’s prescription.
36. Anderson thought it was unusual that a CVS pharmacy would be unable to obtain ella and
was skeptical about the pharmacist’s claim. Anderson thought this was unusual because CVS
was a large pharmacy chain and should have no trouble obtaining prescribed medication.
Anderson was further skeptical that CVS relied on a single wholesaler who was completely
37. CVS Pharmacist #1 offered to call the Walgreens in Brainerd, Minnesota, to see whether
they would be able to fill the prescription. She put Anderson on hold and, when she
returned to the call, she informed Anderson that she had spoken to someone at the
Walgreens in Brainerd and that they were also unable to fill the prescription.
38. Following this conversation, Anderson called the Walgreens in Brainerd herself to double
check about filling the prescription. The pharmacist at Walgreens confirmed that she had
just spoken to CVS Pharmacist #1. The Walgreens pharmacist said that Walgreens could fill
the prescription and that she had told the CVS pharmacist this.
39. The pharmacist at Walgreens clarified that there would be no issues with filling the
prescription, and that they could order the medication to be delivered the next day.
However, they did express a concern that, with the impending snowstorm, the delivery may
40. Anderson then called the Thrifty White Corporate number. She spoke with an individual
named Sue. Sue told Anderson that she could leave a message for someone named “Dee.”
Anderson left a message for Dee inquiring about the store’s policies for refusing to fill
prescriptions.
7
41. After this conversation, Anderson called her Park Nicollet OB/GYN back and asked them
to resend her prescription to the Walgreens in Brainerd. Given her interactions with
Badeaux, she did not trust that the Thrifty White would send the prescription to the
42. Once the prescription was transferred, Anderson called the Thrifty White back to confirm
the name of the pharmacist who refused to fill her prescription. Anderson confirmed that
43. The next day, on January 22, 2019, Dee returned Anderson’s call. She emphasized that the
Thrifty White in McGregor was an affiliate store, meaning that it was independently owned
and operated. Dee then provided her with contact information for the store’s owner, Matt
Hutera.
44. Shortly thereafter, Anderson called and spoke with Hutera. She informed him that George
45. Hutera told Anderson that Badeaux had already informed him about the situation. Hutera
also said that this was not the first time that Badeaux had refused to fill prescriptions based
on his personal beliefs. He added that Badeaux was a pastor at a local church.
46. Anderson inquired as to whether the Thrifty White had any policies regarding a pharmacist’s
refusal to fill prescriptions. Hutera indicated that they did not have an official policy, but that
he had informed Badeaux that the proper procedure was to make sure the prescriptions got
filled.
47. Hutera told Anderson he did “not agree with Badeaux, but he’s a pastor.”
48. Even though this was not the first time Badeaux had refused to fill prescriptions, Hutera did
not indicate that there would be any repercussions for Badeaux. Instead, Hutera told
8
Anderson that Badeaux might be disciplined for failing to make sure a prescription was filled
49. Pharmacists and pharmacy owners generally must ensure all prescribed medications are
50. Under this exception, a pharmacist can decline to fill a prescription for emergency
contraception, but they must provide an alternative way for the patient to fill their
available immediately” to the patient. Under the exception it is the “responsibility of the
patients.”
51. The defendants did not comply with this extremely permissive Pharmacy Board rule by
providing Anderson with clear and immediate alternative access to her lawfully prescribed
medication. Instead they put obstacles in her path. These obstacles could have prevented her
from obtaining the medication at all. The defendants’ actions delayed her from obtaining and
taking her medication, which could have caused her to become pregnant.
52. On January 22, Anderson drove to the Walgreens in Brainerd in order to fill her
prescription. She made this drive during a snowstorm. Although the roads had been plowed,
snow continued to fall throughout Anderson’s drive. Winds increased, so snow was blowing
and freezing on the roads. Temperatures and wind chills were below zero.
53. Anderson had to drive more than 100 miles round trip in dangerous conditions with her 2.5-
year-old son to obtain her prescription. It normally takes more than two hours to drive
9
round trip. Because of the snowstorm, the drive took Anderson more than 3 hours round
trip.
54. After successfully filling her prescription at the Walgreens in Brainerd, Anderson was able to
55. Since this incident, Anderson has transferred her personal prescriptions out of the Thrifty
White pharmacy. She feels that she cannot depend on or trust the Thrifty White to fill her
56. Anderson now fills her prescriptions in either Aitkin or Brainerd, which requires her to
COUNT I
Discrimination in Public Accommodations
Minnesota Human Rights Act
Plaintiff realleges the above allegations of this Complaint and alleges as follows:
57. It is an unfair discriminatory practice to deny a person the goods or services of a place of
58. Sex is defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. Minn. Stat. § 363A.03,
subd. 42.
59. Emergency contraceptives are only used by people who may become pregnant to prevent
60. Defendants discriminated against Plaintiff by refusing to provide her prescribed emergency
contraceptive.
61. The unlawful discrimination complained of above was intentional and performed by
10
62. As a result of Defendants’ illegal conduct, Plaintiff suffered emotional distress and has
COUNT II
Business Discrimination
Minnesota Human Rights Act
Plaintiff realleges the above allegations of this Complaint and alleges as follows:
64. Sex is defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. Minn. Stat. § 363A.03,
subd. 42.
65. Emergency contraceptives are only used by people who may become pregnant to prevent
66. Defendants discriminated against Plaintiff by refusing to provide her prescribed emergency
contraceptive.
67. The unlawful discrimination complained of above was intentional and performed by
68. As a result of Defendants’ illegal conduct, Plaintiff suffered emotional distress and has
COUNT III
Aid and Abet Discrimination
Minnesota Human Rights Act
Plaintiff realleges the above allegations of this complaint and alleges as follows:
69. It is unfair discriminatory practice to intentionally aid and abet any practice that constitutes
unfair discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Minn. Stat. § 363A.14.
70. It is unfair discrimination for a business to refuse to do business with a person because of
11
their sex. Minn. Stat. § 363A.17.
71. It is also unfair discrimination for a public accommodation to deny a person the goods or
services of a place of public accommodation because of their sex. Minn. Stat. § 363A.11
72. Sex is defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. Minn. Stat. § 363A.03,
subd. 42.
73. Emergency contraceptives are only used by people who may become pregnant to prevent
74. Defendants discriminated against Plaintiff by intentionally aiding, abetting, and compelling
delays and obstacles in Plaintiff ’s path and by failing to provide her a reasonable alternative
75. The unlawful discrimination complained of above was intentional and performed by
76. As a result of Defendants’ illegal conduct, Plaintiff suffered emotional distress and has
A. That the practices of Defendants complained of herein be adjudged, decreed and declared to
violate the rights secured to Plaintiff by the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn. Stat.
§ 363A.01 et seq.
B. That a permanent mandatory injunction be issued requiring that Defendants adopt practices
in conformity with the requirements of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn. Stat.
§ 363A.01 et seq.
12
C. That a permanent prohibitory injunction be issued prohibiting Defendants from engaging in
D. That the Court order Defendants to pay a civil penalty to the State of Minnesota pursuant to
F. That Plaintiff be awarded punitive damages pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 363A.29 in an amount
to be established at trial.
G. That the Court issue an order enjoining Defendants and their officers, agents, and employees
from subjecting Plaintiff to differential treatment and from any retaliation against Plaintiff
H. That Plaintiff be awarded pre- and post-judgment interest on any monetary damages
I. Pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. P. 8.01, notice is provided that reasonable damages may be greater
than $50,000.
J. That Plaintiff be awarded such other and further legal and equitable relief as may be found
K. That the court retain jurisdiction until the Court is satisfied that the Defendants have
remedied the practices complained of herein and are determined to be in full compliance
L. That the Court order Defendants to pay counsel for Plaintiff her reasonable attorneys’ fees
13
Dated: December 9, 2019 GENDER JUSTICE
14
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The undersigned acknowledges that pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 549.211, subd. 2, that costs,
disbursements, and reasonable attorney and witness fees may be awarded to the opposing party or
parties in this litigation if the Court should find that the undersigned acted in bad faith, asserted a
claim or defense that is frivolous and that is costly to the other party, asserted an unfounded position
solely to delay the ordinary course of the proceedings or to harass, or committed a fraud upon the
Court.
15