Peter Bell has taken legal action against his former employer, Spears Manufacturing Co., alleging discrimination and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The complaint was filed on December 16, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Bell accuses Spears Manufacturing Co. of failing to accommodate his disability, osteoarthritis, and retaliating against him for utilizing medical leave.
The case centers around Peter Bell's employment as a warehouse material handler at Spears Manufacturing Co., which began on January 8, 2022. According to the complaint, Bell suffers from osteoarthritis, a condition that substantially limits his major life activities. Despite this, he was able to perform his job duties with reasonable accommodations. However, when Bell requested accommodations such as reduced lifting requirements and a gradual return to full-time work following hip replacement surgery in September 2024, Spears Manufacturing allegedly refused these requests. Instead of engaging in an interactive process to determine suitable accommodations, the company terminated Bell's employment on October 24, 2024.
Bell claims that Spears Manufacturing's actions were discriminatory and retaliatory. He argues that the company failed to provide him with FMLA information or leave when he became eligible in January 2023 and did not accommodate his medically prescribed work restrictions after his surgery. Furthermore, Bell alleges that other non-disabled employees received more favorable treatment regarding work accommodations.
The lawsuit seeks various forms of relief from the court: back pay, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, loss of benefits compensation, attorney fees and costs, interest on back pay recoverable, pre-judgment interest if applicable, and any additional relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Peter Bell are attorneys Nathan C. Volheim and Mally L. Slone from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case is identified as Case No.: 1:24-cv-12858 in the Northern District of Illinois.