A former employee has taken legal action against a prominent property management company, alleging severe workplace discrimination and harassment. Roymond Galloway filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on November 25, 2024, accusing Greystar Management Services, LLC of racial and national origin-based discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
The lawsuit brought forth by Galloway outlines a troubling series of events during his tenure as a maintenance technician from January to September 2024. According to the complaint, Galloway claims he was subjected to derogatory nicknames related to his Jamaican heritage by his supervisor Jason Rickett and another colleague. Despite expressing his discomfort with these names, the behavior allegedly persisted. Further exacerbating the situation were unfounded accusations regarding marijuana use—a stereotype often associated with Jamaicans—leveled against him by Rickett and Property Manager Courtney. These accusations were made without any evidence or opportunity for Galloway to clear his name through a drug test.
Galloway's attempts to address these issues through proper channels reportedly met with resistance. He alleges that when he sought assistance from Human Resources, he was initially denied contact information and later faced indifference when he did manage to communicate his grievances. The complaint details how his vacation requests were consistently ignored while those of other employees were approved promptly, adding another layer of alleged discriminatory treatment.
Despite raising concerns with higher management about ongoing harassment and false allegations, Galloway asserts that no corrective actions were taken. Instead, he faced increased scrutiny at work and disproportionate workloads compared to colleagues outside his protected class. Matters came to a head in September 2024 when Galloway was accused of inappropriate conduct with a resident—a claim he vehemently denies—and subsequently terminated without just cause.
Galloway's lawsuit cites violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1981 of the U.S. Code, arguing that Greystar Management Services engaged in systemic race and national origin discrimination. He seeks various forms of relief from the court including back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Galloway are attorneys Alexander J. Taylor and Nathan C. Volheim from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case is being heard under Case ID: 1:24-cv-12099 in front of an undisclosed judge at this time.