CHICAGO — A Cicero-based metal finishing company has been targeted with a class action by a worker who claims it violated a state privacy law by making workers scan their fingerprints when punching in and out of work shifts.
Elliot Smart filed suit June 27 in Cook County Circuit Court against Saporito Finishing Co., alleging violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.
According to the complaint, Smart began working for Saporito in April 2019 and every day, had to clock in and out using his fingerprint. The plaintiff alleges the defendant never asked for his permission or consent before scanning his fingerprint, allegedly as the law requires.
The plaintiff also said he has not been told when, if ever, Saporito Finishing stores the information or plans to delete the information.
Smart seeks statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation, plus attorney fees, court costs and other relief. He is represented by attorneys Brandon M. Wise and Paul A. Lesko of Pfeiffer Wolf Carr & Kane APLC in St. Louis.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2019-CH-07728