A former employee has filed a lawsuit against a prominent children's hospital, alleging race-based discrimination and harassment. On January 23, 2025, Lakenza Mandeldove initiated legal action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Anne & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The complaint outlines accusations of racial discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Lakenza Mandeldove claims that during her employment as a Medical Assistant at the hospital from June to August 2024, she was subjected to a hostile work environment primarily due to her race. She alleges that her manager, Kathy Arsini, made racially insensitive remarks and treated her differently compared to non-African American employees. For instance, Mandeldove recalls an incident where Arsini rejected a Black Lives Matter sticker with the comment, "Oh no, I’m a Blue Lives Matter person," and frequently reminded Mandeldove about her husband's position as Chief of Police in Rockford. These actions contributed to an intimidating atmosphere for Mandeldove.
Mandeldove further contends that she faced discriminatory enforcement of workplace policies such as break times and was publicly belittled by Arsini regarding her probationary period at work. Despite meeting or exceeding performance expectations, Mandeldove was placed on administrative leave due to alleged attendance issues shortly after falling ill at work—a decision she argues was unjustified since she had been sent home by Arsini herself.
The plaintiff also reports that after raising concerns about these discriminatory practices with Human Resources and superiors within the organization, no effective action was taken to address or rectify the situation. Instead, Mandeldove asserts that she was terminated on August 22, 2024—just days after lodging her complaints—as retaliation for speaking out against the harassment.
Mandeldove is seeking various forms of relief from the court including back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, and other related costs. Her legal representation is provided by Nathan C. Volheim and Sophia K. Steere from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., who are advocating for justice on behalf of their client.
This case is being presided over in the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-00809.