A recent lawsuit has been filed in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division at Chicago, that highlights serious allegations of workplace discrimination. On December 30, 2024, Nayyer Habeebudin lodged a complaint against his employer, AbbVie Inc., claiming discriminatory conduct based on national origin and religion.
Nayyer Habeebudin, who has been employed by AbbVie since 2014 as an Associate Director, accuses the company of engaging in unlawful employment practices that have violated his civil rights. According to the complaint, Habeebudin is a Muslim male over the age of 40 and of Indian descent. He claims to have faced disparate treatment compared to his colleagues who are not Indian or Muslim. The lawsuit details instances where he was told by supervisors that he was not "American" and alleges that he was treated differently than similarly situated employees. This differential treatment reportedly included being denied project assignments, bonuses, raises, and receiving poor performance reviews after he reported the discrimination internally and subsequently filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Habeebudin's legal action follows his compliance with all statutory and administrative prerequisites for filing such a suit. He filed a timely Charge of Discrimination with the EEOC (Charge No.: 440-2023-04247) within the required timeframe after experiencing what he describes as pervasive harassment and discrimination based on his national origin and religion. On October 1, 2024, he received a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC which allowed him to proceed with this federal lawsuit.
The complaint further outlines how these alleged discriminatory actions have caused Habeebudin significant distress including mental anguish, anxiety, physical ailments requiring medical care, and ultimately led him to take short-term and long-term disability leave. The plaintiff argues that AbbVie's actions are in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
In seeking justice through this lawsuit, Habeebudin requests compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits along with punitive damages for emotional pain and suffering. Additionally, he seeks reimbursement for attorney fees and other costs associated with prosecuting this action.
Representing Nayyer Habeebudin in this case is Dean Barakat from Cole Sadkin LLC. The case is identified under Case No.: 1:24-cv-13322 but does not list specific judges involved at this stage.