Durrell Haynes has filed a compelling lawsuit against his former employer, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. On January 31, 2025, Haynes submitted a complaint to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, targeting GRG TFG Wacker, LLC, doing business as Bar Mar. The allegations stem from events that transpired during Haynes' tenure as a line chef at the establishment.
The lawsuit claims violations under several key civil rights laws including Section 1981 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Haynes contends that he was subjected to race-based discrimination and harassment by his supervisor, Chef Anthony. This included derogatory remarks and disparate treatment compared to non-African American employees. A particularly egregious incident occurred when Chef Anthony used racially offensive language while singing along to a song, which created an uncomfortable work environment for Haynes and other African American colleagues.
Haynes reported these incidents to Human Resources but alleges that no effective action was taken to address his concerns. Instead, he faced further hostility from Chef Anthony after raising complaints about the discriminatory behavior. According to Haynes, this led to retaliatory actions such as being removed from work schedules and ultimately terminated on December 21, 2024.
The complaint details how Haynes' attempts to seek redress were met with indifference or inadequate responses from HR personnel. Despite informing HR Representative Cameron about ongoing issues, no thorough investigation was conducted into his claims of discrimination and harassment. Furthermore, Haynes argues that similarly situated non-African American employees did not face similar scrutiny or disciplinary actions for comparable conduct.
In seeking justice through the court system, Durrell Haynes is asking for various forms of relief including back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress suffered due to the hostile work environment and retaliatory termination. He also seeks coverage of legal fees incurred during this process.
Representing Durrell Haynes are attorneys Nathan C. Volheim and Sophia K. Steere from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case is presided over by judges in the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-01128.