In a compelling legal battle that highlights issues of workplace discrimination and rights violations, Ashley Rivera has filed a lawsuit against Apartment Management Consultants, LLC. The complaint was lodged on December 12, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Rivera accuses her former employer of multiple infractions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Ashley Rivera's journey with Apartment Management Consultants began in November 2012 when she was hired as a regional property manager. Her responsibilities included financial management, staff training, and property audits among others. Despite receiving positive feedback for her performance, Rivera's situation took a turn following a car accident on August 23, 2023. This incident left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which significantly impacted her ability to perform certain job functions like long-distance driving.
Rivera alleges that upon informing her employer about her condition and requesting reasonable accommodations such as minimal long-distance travel and some work-from-home days, her requests were denied. Instead of accommodating her needs, Rivera claims that she was subjected to increased travel demands which exacerbated her PTSD symptoms. In July 2024, after seeking adjustments to her workload due to mental health challenges, she faced changes in job responsibilities that seemed designed to push her out.
The lawsuit details how Rivera's attempt to return from FMLA leave in September 2024 was met with resistance from HR regarding accommodations. She was informed there were no suitable positions within the company that aligned with her medical restrictions unless she accepted a demotion or undertook travel beyond what was safe for her mental health.
Rivera’s complaint outlines several counts against Apartment Management Consultants including disability-based discrimination, failure to accommodate under ADA guidelines, harassment due to disability status, retaliation for engaging in protected activities under ADA and FMLA interference and retaliation. She asserts that these actions resulted in significant emotional distress and loss of employment benefits.
Through this lawsuit, Rivera seeks various forms of relief including back pay with interest, compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages aimed at deterring future violations by the defendant. She also requests reasonable attorney fees and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Ashley Rivera is Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while the case is overseen by judges from the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-12762.