A former employee has accused a prominent employment network of sex-based discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Michelle A. Parker filed a complaint against North Lawndale Employment Network in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on August 30, 2024.
Parker alleges that during her tenure at North Lawndale Employment Network, which began on October 1, 2013, she faced different terms and conditions of employment compared to her male counterparts. She claims this treatment culminated in her unlawful termination on June 28, 2024. The lawsuit details how Parker applied for a promotion to Chief Impact and Innovation Officer in August 2023 but was overlooked in favor of Khalen Todd, a newly hired male employee who was given opportunities not afforded to her. Despite comparable interview scores and exceeding the listed qualifications for the role, Parker was denied the promotion.
In February 2024, Parker's colleagues filed complaints against Todd for micromanagement and unprofessional behavior. During the investigation, Parker supported these allegations by citing specific instances of microaggressions and condescending emails from Todd. However, these complaints were dismissed without further action. Following this incident, Parker received an unexpectedly low performance review in May 2024—the first such occurrence in her career.
Parker contends that her termination in June 2024 was unjustified and attributed to alleged funding constraints despite multiple government grants ensuring financial support for her position through 2026. She believes this rationale was a pretext for retaliation due to her involvement in the complaints against Todd and her opposition to discriminatory practices within the organization.
The complaint asserts violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1981. It highlights how Parker’s termination and adverse employment actions were direct results of sex-based discrimination and retaliation for exercising her protected rights under federal law.
Parker seeks several forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, pre-judgment interest if applicable, and any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Parker is Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while the case will be overseen by judges from the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-07940.