A former employee has filed a significant lawsuit against a major railway company, alleging discrimination and harassment based on race, color, gender, and age. Rhonda J. Thompson lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on December 30, 2024, accusing her employer, Illinois Central Railroad Company (formerly known as Canadian National Railway), of various unlawful employment practices.
Rhonda J. Thompson, a Polish-Caucasian woman over the age of 40 from Kankakee County, Illinois, claims that she has been subjected to discriminatory treatment throughout her employment with Illinois Central Railroad Company since 1999. In her complaint, Thompson alleges that despite her qualifications and seniority as a Class B Backhoe Operator responsible for track repairs across Illinois, she was repeatedly overlooked for assignments and overtime opportunities in favor of younger male employees. She states that these positions were often given to Hispanic males under the supervision of Jose Gutierrez. This alleged favoritism resulted in financial disadvantages for Thompson due to lost overtime compensation.
Thompson's grievances began formally when she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on April 2, 2021. She received a right-to-sue letter from the EEOC on September 30, 2024. The lawsuit outlines multiple counts against the defendant: gender discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; racial discrimination also under Title VII; color discrimination; age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA); and retaliation following her complaints about these issues to her supervisors and human resources.
The plaintiff describes instances where women were denied access to basic facilities like bathrooms at job sites and recounts being passed over for equipment operation tasks within her trade. Despite filing internal grievances about being bypassed for overtime work between March 2020 and January 2021—which were denied—Thompson claims this pattern continued unabated.
Thompson is seeking several forms of relief from the court: declaratory judgment affirming that Illinois Central Railroad Company's actions violated federal laws; an injunction preventing further discriminatory practices; placement into positions she would have occupied if not for such conduct; compensatory damages for economic losses including mental anguish and reputational harm; punitive damages due to malicious intent behind these acts; as well as coverage of legal costs incurred during this litigation process.
Representing Rhonda J. Thompson is attorney Chiquita Hall-Jackson from Hall-Jackson & Associates P.C., based in Chicago. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:24-cv-13367 but no judge has been named yet.