A former employee is taking legal action against a major waste management company, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation after reporting workplace misconduct. Russell Svehla filed the complaint on December 23, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Allied Waste Transportation, Inc., doing business as Allied Waste Services of Joliet/Republic Services of Joliet.
The lawsuit unfolds with Svehla accusing his former employer of creating a hostile work environment and retaliating against him for reporting illegal activities within the company. Svehla's journey with the defendant began in 1993, paused in 2001, and resumed in 2011 until his alleged wrongful termination on June 1, 2023. As an Operations Manager, Svehla claims he was unjustly accused of allowing the commingling of garbage with yard waste—a violation of environmental safety laws—and subsequently suspended without evidence on March 28, 2023. Despite returning to work under duress on April 3, 2023, after signing a performance improvement plan, Svehla faced ongoing harassment and was denied requests for assistance from HR and a transfer to another division.
The plaintiff's attempts to escalate these issues culminated in a scheduled meeting with Matt Healy, the Area President of the defendant company. However, Svehla alleges that he was terminated just one hour before this meeting could take place. The complaint states that this termination was retaliatory because Svehla had reported harassment and intended to address it further with higher management.
Svehla's legal filing accuses Allied Waste Transportation of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in unlawful employment practices such as discrimination and retaliation. Additionally, he claims violations under state law for retaliatory discharge and under the Illinois Whistleblower Act for retaliating against him after disclosing potential violations of state or federal laws.
In seeking justice from the court, Svehla demands several forms of relief: declaratory judgment recognizing Title VII violations by the defendant; injunctive relief including back pay and reinstatement; compensatory damages; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; attorney’s fees; costs; and any other appropriate relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Russell Svehla is Attorney Antonio L. Jeffrey from Jeffrey Law Office LLC. The case is being presided over by judges at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case No. 24-cv-50523.