December 23, 2025
WASHINGTON – A man who transported patients to medical appointments is suing his former employer, alleging he was unlawfully fired after failing a criminal background check despite — he says — years on the job without incident.
James Blakney says he was abruptly fired last year after working for nearly three years transporting patients to and from medical appointments. According to a lawsuit filed in D.C. federal court, Blakney had passed three criminal background checks during his employment.
The lawsuit names Missouri-based Medical Transportation Management Inc. (MTM), which subcontracts with Maryland-based OnTime Transportation. Blakney began working for OnTime and MTM around June 2021, according to the complaint.
Blakney claims MTM maintains a zero-tolerance policy for violent convictions or charges — regardless of how old they are or an employee’s job performance — and argues that policy violates the D.C. Human Rights Act.
The suit alleges the policy has a discriminatory impact on Black workers.
“We did our time. We did everything,” Blakney said. “We shouldn’t have to keep going through this over and over again… especially after 15, 20 years that the case is over and done with.”
Advocates say broad criminal background bans can disproportionately affect Black applicants.
Sarah Bessell of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs says that while Black residents make up about 50 percent of D.C.’s population, they account for a significantly larger share of felony convictions.
“That means a blanket criminal background policy is going to have an outsized impact on Black workers,” Bessell said.
Read DC Man Sues Employer Saying He was Unlawfully Fired Due to Decades-Old Misdemeanor Charge.