In a case filed in the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, plaintiff Lavelle Delaney has appealed against the City of Chicago. The court case ID is 1-23-0917 and the order was filed on March 29, 2024. The lawsuit revolves around Delaney's claim of employment discrimination and retaliation by his employer, the City of Chicago.
Delaney, a truck driver for the City’s Streets and Sanitation Department, alleges that he faced discrimination at work after a rumor spread that he was gay. His complaints to his supervisor were reportedly dismissed with laughter. Following this, Delaney filed a complaint with the department of human resources in 2017 but claimed to have received undesirable work assignments and faulty equipment thereafter. In March 2018, he filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and later with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) in July 2020.
The plaintiff withdrew his charges in August 2020 after reaching an alleged settlement with the City. However, in February 2021, he filed another complaint alleging workplace harassment in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge with EEOC. He also claimed that he was denied time off to care for his ill wife and was unfairly required to work overtime.
Delaney seeks judgment against the City of Chicago for employment discrimination and retaliation. He alleges that his rights were violated due to homophobic slurs, denial of overtime, receiving undesirable work assignments and faulty equipment as well as being bullied by colleagues.