CHICAGO — Employees have filed a class action lawsuit against Patriot Medical Transport, a transportation company, claiming the company violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), by making employees scan their fingerprints when punching in and out of work shifts.
Christopher Dixon filed a complaint, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, on Feb. 14 in Cook County Circuit Court against Patriot Medical Transport, alleging the transportation company failed to ensure employees' biometric data is being handled with a measure of security.
According to the complaint, Dixon and other workers have suffered injury from the unlawful collection and storage of their fingerprints, hand geometry or other biometric data which they say placed at risk 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 the defendant failed to inform employees in writing that their biometric information was being obtained, collected, captured or stored; failed to provide employees with information required under BIPA; and failed to provide guidelines or a retention schedule for the permanent destruction of their biometric identifiers.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment against defendant; maintain class action; and award liquidated damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation, attorney's fees, costs incurred, and other relief. They are represented by Brandon Wise and Paul Lesko of Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane APLC in St. Louis.
Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 19-CH-1982.