A lawsuit has been filed in the Northern District of Illinois, accusing a staffing company and a cannabis retail store of discrimination and retaliation against an employee. Alexandra Fox, the plaintiff, initiated this legal action on December 31, 2024, against VZL Staffing Services, LLC and MME Aurora Retail, LLC doing business as Zen Leaf Aurora. The case highlights serious allegations under both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Alexandra Fox claims that her employers discriminated against her due to her disability and sex, failed to provide reasonable accommodations for her chronic neck and back pain, and retaliated against her when she raised these issues. According to the complaint, Fox was employed as a cannabis advisor from April 8, 2024, until her termination on October 31, 2024. Her responsibilities included assisting customers with product selection and processing transactions. Despite suffering from chronic pain for over a decade, Fox was able to perform her job duties effectively with or without accommodations.
The lawsuit alleges that starting in August 2024, Fox faced discriminatory treatment at work due to her sex and disability. She reported ergonomic issues related to non-adjustable laptops that exacerbated her condition but was told by Store Manager Katie Vaughn that no changes could be made unless linked to a disability. After filing ADA paperwork requesting accommodations in September 2024, Fox's work schedule was altered unfavorably compared to male colleagues without disabilities.
Fox also experienced workplace harassment through false rumors about inappropriate relationships with coworkers. When she attempted to address these rumors professionally, she was warned not to discuss them further as they were under investigation. Ultimately, HR cited these unsubstantiated rumors as making staff uncomfortable—a pretextual reason for terminating her employment on October 31.
The complaint outlines multiple counts of violations under ADA and Title VII: disability-based discrimination, failure to accommodate disabilities, retaliation for seeking accommodations and opposing discrimination, sexual harassment creating a hostile work environment, sex-based discrimination leading to adverse employment actions including termination.
In response to these grievances, Alexandra Fox seeks various forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest; front pay; compensation for lost benefits; compensatory and punitive damages; attorney fees; pre-judgment interest if applicable; along with any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Alexandra Fox is Attorney Peyton M. Paschke from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while no specific defense attorneys are mentioned in the document. The case is presided over by judges from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-13402.