A former employee has taken legal action against a senior care facility, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On January 16, 2025, Keyata N. Chatman filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Carrington Care, LLC, which operates The Carrington at Lincolnwood. Chatman claims that her employer failed to provide reasonable accommodations for her disabilities and retaliated against her for asserting her rights under the ADA.
The lawsuit details Chatman's employment history with Carrington Care, starting from her hiring on October 9, 2018. She was promoted to Dining Room Supervisor in October 2019 and later to Lead Dining Room Supervisor. Her troubles began after suffering injuries from two car accidents in January and December of 2022, resulting in severe physical limitations. Despite providing multiple doctor's notes requesting accommodations such as weight restrictions and rest breaks due to slipped discs and other injuries, Chatman alleges that Carrington Care consistently ignored these medical directives. The complaint accuses the company of failing to engage in an interactive process to determine suitable accommodations and instead increasing her workload.
Chatman's situation worsened when management changes occurred within the company. She describes a hostile work environment fostered by new supervisors who were critical of her performance and allegedly issued false reprimands as retaliation for her accommodation requests. These actions culminated in Chatman's suspension without pay following an incident involving holiday menu preparations—a situation she claims was manipulated by management to justify disciplinary measures.
In response to these challenges, Chatman sought assistance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and informed her supervisors about her intentions to take legal action. Despite these efforts, she was ultimately terminated on January 31, 2024. The complaint asserts that this termination was pretextual and retaliatory, designed to punish Chatman for advocating for her rights under the ADA.
Chatman is seeking various forms of relief from the court including compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits, punitive damages aimed at deterring future misconduct by Carrington Care, as well as coverage of legal costs incurred during this litigation process.
Representing Keyata N. Chatman is attorney James C. Vlahakis from Vlahakis Law Group LLC based in Chicago. The case is being overseen by judges within the jurisdiction of the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 25-cv-0560.