A former employee is taking legal action against a cleaning company, alleging severe workplace discrimination and retaliation. Christopher Sader filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on October 15, 2024, against Hamill Partners, Inc., doing business as Crescent Cleaning Company. The lawsuit accuses the company of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Sader based on his disability and race.
The complaint outlines a troubling narrative of alleged discrimination that began shortly after Sader was hired as a custodian on July 7, 2024. Despite being qualified for his role, Sader claims he faced different terms and conditions of employment compared to his Hispanic coworkers. According to the lawsuit, Sader suffers from a heart condition requiring regular medical appointments to monitor his blood levels—a necessity following heart surgery where a synthetic valve was implanted. Although initially assured by his manager Laura that such accommodations were acceptable, Sader alleges that she later targeted him for discipline due to these requests.
The lawsuit further describes an incident on July 12, 2024, when Laura denied Sader permission to leave work for a medical appointment by questioning its timing. This denial allegedly led Sader to cancel necessary medical care out of fear of retaliation. Tensions escalated when Laura implied that Sader's heart condition made him unsuitable for his job. Despite receiving positive feedback from other supervisors like Denise, who expressed surprise at his termination, Sader was fired on August 12, 2024—the same day he had requested time off for another medical appointment.
Sader's allegations extend beyond disability discrimination; he also claims racial bias played a role in his termination. As the only Caucasian employee at his location, he felt targeted while Hispanic employees with similar performance records faced no disciplinary actions. He recounts instances where language barriers highlighted this disparity—Laura once spoke to him in Spanish before apologizing because "everyone here speaks Spanish."
In response to these alleged injustices, Sader seeks multiple forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, loss of benefits compensation, attorneys' fees and costs reimbursement among others deemed just by the court.
Representing Christopher Sader is attorney Travis P. Lampert from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., located in Lombard, Illinois. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:24-cv-10244 but does not yet list any presiding judges.