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COOK COUNTY RECORD

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Plaintiff Alleges Discrimination Against Former Employer Sysco Chicago Under ADA

Federal Court
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Dwayne Johnson has filed a lawsuit against Sysco Chicago, Inc., alleging severe workplace discrimination and harassment. The complaint was lodged on Oct. 30 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by Johnson's attorney, Alexander J. Taylor. This case underscores significant accusations against Sysco Chicago regarding their treatment of an employee with disabilities and highlights issues of sexual harassment and retaliation.

The plaintiff, Dwayne Johnson, asserts that his former employer, Sysco Chicago, violated multiple federal laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Johnson alleges that he faced discrimination due to his disabilities—vertigo, anxiety, and depression—and experienced sex-based harassment during his tenure as a supervisor at Sysco from February 2023 until his termination in June 2024. According to the complaint, a fellow supervisor named Anival subjected Johnson to continuous sexual harassment with inappropriate comments that began shortly after he was hired. Despite reporting these incidents to management multiple times, no effective action was taken.

Johnson claims that this hostile work environment exacerbated his health conditions and led him to use intermittent Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. He also accuses Sysco of failing to accommodate his disability by not rescheduling him away from Anival despite discussions about such adjustments. Furthermore, Johnson reports being suspended under dubious circumstances involving a private notebook found on his desk which allegedly contained violent language—a claim he disputes.

In response to these grievances and subsequent termination on June 28, 2024, Johnson is seeking redress through the court for back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages among other reliefs. His legal counsel argues that Sysco acted in willful disregard of Johnson’s rights by terminating him due to both his disability and for engaging in protected activities like requesting accommodations and reporting harassment.

This case is presided over by judges within the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-11151. Representing Dwayne Johnson is attorney Alexander J. Taylor from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while the defendants' legal representation remains unspecified at this time.

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