A former high-ranking employee has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination, defamation, and hostile work environment against a local municipality and its mayor. Anthony Finch filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on June 3, 2024, naming the Village of Sauk Village and Mayor Derrick Burgess as defendants.
Anthony Finch began his tenure with the Village of Sauk Village in October 2018, serving in various roles including Village Treasurer, Interim Finance Director, Public Works Director, and Director of Operations. His initiatives aimed at financial transparency were well-received until operational disputes and allegations from Vivian Jones, a consultant hired by the village in October 2020, began to surface. According to Finch's complaint, Jones and Mayor Burgess made defamatory statements accusing him of financial mismanagement and theft. These accusations persisted despite key fob and payroll records indicating that Finch did not have access to village premises during the alleged period of theft.
Finch claims that these defamatory statements were part of a broader pattern of hostility and retaliation against him for his efforts to ensure financial accountability within the village. An email dated January 14, 2023, demonstrates Finch's compliance with procedural requests while highlighting Jones's failure to follow instructions. Furthermore, a memo from Jones dated February 8, 2023 falsely accused Finch of theft and mismanagement for fiscal year 2021—a period during which he was not responsible for those areas.
The situation escalated when Finch requested Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork in April 2023 due to emotional distress caused by the hostile work environment. His request was denied by Human Resources without explanation or means to appeal the decision. This refusal violated his rights under FMLA and further contributed to his emotional distress. On May 8, 2023, Finch was terminated without trustee consent—a move he argues exemplifies procedural irregularities and malice.
In his lawsuit, Finch alleges multiple violations including wrongful termination under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/2-209), hostile work environment (775 ILCS 5/2-102(A)), defamation (740 ILCS 145/0.01), retaliation (775 ILCS 5/6-101(A)), violation of municipal code (65 ILCS 5/3.1), intentional infliction of emotional distress under state law (Restatement (Second) of Torts §46), hostile work environment under Title VII (42 U.S.C. §2000e-2), violation of FMLA (29 U.S.C. §2601 et seq.), and retaliation under Title VII (42 U.S.C. §2000e-3(a)). He seeks compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits along with punitive damages for emotional distress caused by defamatory statements and procedural irregularities.
Finch is represented by Te D. Smith from SAG Law P.C., while Allison N. Powers from Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP represents the defendants. The case is presided over by an unnamed judge under Case No: 1:24-cv-04608.