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Plaintiff alleges Village discriminated based on age and gender

COOK COUNTY RECORD

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Plaintiff alleges Village discriminated based on age and gender

Federal Court

In a striking legal battle, a former police officer has filed a lawsuit against her employer, alleging age and gender discrimination, retaliation, and violations of multiple employment laws. Michelle Geier lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on November 8, 2024, targeting the Village of Bolingbrook and its Police Chief Michael Rompa.

Michelle Geier's lawsuit details a series of alleged discriminatory practices she faced while employed as a School Resource Officer with the Bolingbrook Police Department. The complaint outlines how Geier, at 57 years old and female, was subjected to disparate treatment compared to her younger male colleagues following an injury sustained on duty. On February 15, 2021, Geier suffered a significant injury after slipping on icy stairs while responding to an emergency call. Despite medical evidence supporting her need for surgery and recovery time, Geier claims she was pressured by her superiors to return to work prematurely. Her allegations extend beyond discrimination; she accuses the defendants of violating the Public Employee Disability Act (PEDA) by unlawfully terminating her benefits and forcing her to exhaust personal leave time. Furthermore, Geier contends that her termination on December 1, 2022, was executed without due process or adherence to union agreements. "Defendants have retaliated against Plaintiff...by terminating Plaintiff's employment," states the complaint.

Geier seeks various forms of relief from the court: back pay for lost wages and benefits, restoration of PEDA benefits, statutory damages under wage laws, compensatory and punitive damages against Chief Rompa individually, and attorneys' fees. Additionally, she requests injunctive relief to prevent further discrimination or harassment by the defendants.

Representing Michelle Geier are attorneys Keith L. Hunt and Delaney A. Hunt from Hunt Law P.C., based in Bannockburn, Illinois. The case is presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID No. 24 CV 11532.

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