A former employee has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, alleging multiple forms of discrimination and wrongful termination. John Engel lodged the complaint against Red Star Electric LLC in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on August 26, 2024.
Engel's lawsuit claims that Red Star Electric LLC discriminated against him based on his disability and age, failed to accommodate his disability, harassed him due to his disability, and retaliated against him for engaging in protected activities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Engel asserts that he was employed by Red Star Electric as an electrician since 2015. His duties included electrical work and working with car chargers. Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease—a recognized disability under ADA—Engel continued to perform his job functions adequately.
The complaint details that Engel faced continuous harassment from Nick Zahorodnyj, the owner of Red Star Electric LLC. Zahorodnyj allegedly made derogatory comments about Engel's age, calling him "old man," and berated him for needing time off for medical appointments related to his tremors. On June 28, 2024, Engel informed Zahorodnyj about his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Instead of seeking ways to accommodate Engel's condition, Zahorodnyj reportedly stared at him wide-eyed and terminated his employment less than two weeks later on July 12, 2024. The stated reason for termination was that Engel was "working too slow," a claim which Engel disputes as false and unsupported by any direct observation from Zahorodnyj.
Engel further alleges that despite receiving positive reviews from customers regularly, Red Star Electric failed to engage in an interactive process to determine appropriate accommodations for his disability. Instead, they terminated him based on perceived symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease without exploring potential adjustments or accommodations.
In addition to claims under ADA for discrimination, failure to accommodate, harassment, and retaliation, Engel also invokes ADEA provisions due to age-based discrimination. He contends that he was treated less favorably than younger employees who were similarly situated but not part of his protected class.
Engel seeks various forms of relief from the court including back pay with interest, front pay, loss of benefits compensation, compensatory and punitive damages, reasonable attorney fees and costs, pre-judgment interest if applicable, and any other relief deemed just by the court.
The case is being handled by Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., representing John Engel. The presiding judge over this matter is yet unnamed but it has been filed under Case ID: 1:24-cv-07662.