Santanna Birdlong, a former employee at a plasma donation center, has taken legal action against her employer, citing discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. On May 9, 2025, Birdlong filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against BioLife Plasma Services L.P., alleging violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Birdlong's allegations detail a troubling work environment at BioLife's Lafayette, Louisiana location. She claims that despite repeated reports of unethical practices and bullying by certain staff members, management failed to take corrective actions. According to Birdlong, an internal investigation was launched on July 20, 2024, after she reported that important donor records were being destroyed or deleted. Despite this, no significant changes were made to address these issues. Birdlong also recounted an incident where she raised concerns about a potentially unstable donor being cleared for plasma donation without proper medical assessment—a decision influenced by non-medical staff members. "No corrective actions were taken," she noted in her filing.
In addition to these safety concerns, Birdlong described instances of bullying and favoritism within the workplace. She reported feeling targeted after refusing to participate in unethical activities with other staff members and expressed fears of becoming the next victim of workplace bullying. Despite bringing these issues to the attention of her superiors, including Center Manager Takarya Mitchell and Center Quality Manager Brenda Defrayne, Birdlong asserts that her complaints were largely ignored or dismissed.
The lawsuit seeks various forms of relief from the court. Birdlong is asking for the removal of an Employee Conference Memorandum (ECM) from her file—an action she believes was unjustly issued as retaliation for her whistleblowing efforts. She is also requesting that BioLife adhere strictly to its policies and procedures and implement comprehensive training programs on workplace bullying for managers. Furthermore, Birdlong seeks compensation for lost wages, emotional distress damages, punitive damages for medical expenses incurred due to stress-related health issues stemming from her work environment, as well as attorney fees and court costs.
The case does not list any attorneys representing Santanna Birdlong or BioLife Plasma Services L.P., nor does it mention any judges assigned to oversee proceedings. The case ID is 6:25-cv-00635.