A former employee has taken legal action against a healthcare corporation, alleging discrimination and retaliation linked to his disability. On December 19, 2024, Ryan Rohde filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Humboldt Park Health. The lawsuit accuses the defendant of violating both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Ryan Rohde, who served as an infection prevention manager at Humboldt Park Health from April 2023 until his termination in October 2024, claims that his dismissal was unjustly based on his disabilities. Rohde suffers from several psychiatric conditions including ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. These ailments significantly impact his daily life activities and require ongoing treatment. Despite these challenges, Rohde asserts that he was capable of fulfilling his job responsibilities with reasonable accommodations.
The complaint details a series of events leading up to Rohde's termination. In May 2024, he informed his manager about his need for accommodations due to worsening symptoms but received no response or support. Subsequently, in June 2024, Rohde took paid time off upon medical advice and was approved for FMLA leave until September 11, 2024. However, issues arose when Humboldt Park Health allegedly failed to deduct insurance premiums from his short-term disability checks as requested, creating financial strain.
Further complicating matters were comments made by Rohde's manager questioning the legitimacy of his FMLA leave and suggesting he was traveling instead of managing his health condition. When Rohde's healthcare provider extended his treatment plan into late September 2024, he communicated this extension to both the third-party FMLA provider and Humboldt Park Health's HR department but received no acknowledgment.
Upon returning to work on September 23, 2024, following all proper procedures for extending leave under FMLA guidelines, Rohde found himself sent home without pay due to alleged certification issues regarding accommodations—a requirement he claims was never communicated to him. His employment was terminated shortly thereafter on October 2, 2024.
Rohde’s lawsuit argues that Humboldt Park Health violated ADA provisions by failing to engage in an interactive process to accommodate his disabilities and retaliated against him for exercising rights under both ADA and FMLA statutes. He seeks various forms of relief including back pay with interest, compensation for lost benefits and wages due to unlawful termination, compensatory damages for emotional distress suffered as a result of these actions by Humboldt Park Health.
Representing Ryan Rohde is attorney Peyton M. Paschke from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while the case will be presided over by judges assigned within the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-13075.