CHICAGO — A man has filed a class action lawsuit against janitorial service Geralex, claiming the company violated an Illinois biometrics privacy law by requiring employees to scan their fingerprints when using the company's biometric time clocks to punch in and out of work shifts.
Jermaine Louis filed a complaint, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, on Feb. 13 in Cook County Circuit Court against Geralex Janitorial Services, alleging the employer collected and stored employees' biometric data without their consent.
According to the complaint, Louis and other similarly situated individuals have suffered injury from the unlawful collection and storage of their biometric data that compromised employees and former employees' sensitive financial and personal data and exposes them to serious and irreversible privacy risks, threat of identity theft and unauthorized tracking.
The plaintiffs allege Geralex failed to inform employees in writing of the purpose and duration for which their fingerprints were being collected and stored, and failed to provide a publicly available retention schedule and guidelines.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment against defendant for damage and award of statutory damages, declaratory, injunctive and other relief, litigation expenses, attorney fees, interest, and further relief. Under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, the defendant could face statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation.
Plaintiffs are represented in the action by attorney David J. Fish, of Naperville.
Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 19-CH-1827.