A former employee is taking legal action against a healthcare company, alleging discrimination and retaliation linked to her disability and medical leave. Rebecca Lopez filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on December 30, 2024, accusing Unified Women's Healthcare, LP of violating her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Rebecca Lopez, who worked as a billing coordinator since 2021, claims that her termination in October 2024 was unlawful and based on discriminatory practices. According to the complaint, Lopez suffered from anxiety and depression exacerbated by postpartum depression after an accident during pregnancy. She informed her employer about her condition in September 2023 and began using FMLA leave intermittently. Despite providing all necessary documentation for her medical leave, Lopez alleges that following a corporate merger in January 2024, she faced increased hostility at work. Her request for accommodations was met with discouragement from HR, which referred to them as "special accommodations."
The lawsuit outlines several incidents where Lopez felt harassed for utilizing FMLA leave. Management allegedly expected her to complete work despite absences due to medical reasons. After filing a formal complaint about discrimination and not receiving a promised raise, HR responded by invalidating her previously approved FMLA leave retroactively. The situation escalated when HR insisted on meeting directly with Lopez's psychiatrist without her presence—a request that was declined due to HIPAA regulations.
Lopez accuses Unified Women's Healthcare of failing to accommodate her disability adequately and retaliating against her for exercising her rights under ADA and FMLA. The complaint highlights how the company placed her on a Performance Improvement Plan following alleged poor performance write-ups related to personal emergencies like picking up her injured daughter from school.
In seeking justice, Lopez demands back pay with interest, compensatory damages for emotional distress caused by discrimination and harassment, punitive damages for willful violations of federal laws protecting disabled employees' rights, as well as attorney fees among other reliefs deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Rebecca Lopez is Attorney Travis P. Lampert from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while no information is provided regarding defense counsel or presiding judges over this case identified as Case: 1:24-cv-13357.