A recent court filing has brought to light allegations of disability discrimination and retaliation by a major behavioral health organization. The complaint, filed by Louis A. Rafti in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on September 3, 2024, targets Rosecrance Behavioral Health and unnamed defendants.
Rafti, who lives with disabilities including HIV/AIDS and is in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders, claims that Rosecrance violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying him employment despite his qualifications. According to the complaint, Rafti applied for an Engagement Specialist position at Rosecrance on January 2, 2023. He was initially encouraged by positive feedback from Tanner Saterlee, a Human Resources manager at Rosecrance, who indicated that Rafti's experience could secure him a salary between $18-20 per hour.
However, during a Zoom interview on January 18, 2023, conducted by Saterlee and Manager Maggie Bianchi, Rafti disclosed his disabilities and mentioned an EEOC complaint he had filed against his previous employer for associational disability discrimination and retaliation. Following this disclosure, Bianchi allegedly ended the interview abruptly with a non-committal response.
Rafti asserts that after this interview, he received no further communication from Rosecrance except for an email stating they were still in the hiring process. Eventually, he was informed via voicemail that he was not selected for the position without any explanation. Subsequent applications for other positions at Rosecrance also went unanswered.
The complaint details how Rafti believes Rosecrance hired less qualified non-disabled individuals for the positions he applied for. He filed an EEOC charge of disability discrimination and retaliation on August 3, 2023. In their response to this charge on December 1, 2023, Rosecrance cited "lack of boundaries with clients" as their reason for not hiring Rafti—a claim he vehemently denies as false and defamatory.
Rafti is seeking judgment in his favor along with actual damages amounting to $62,400 plus statutory and compensatory damages according to proof. He also seeks punitive damages and any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing himself pro se in this case is Louis A. Rafti. The case is presided over by Judge [Name] under Case ID: 3:24-cv-50365.