In a dramatic legal battle, a former employee has accused a major national transportation corporation of wrongful termination, citing discrimination and retaliation as the basis for his dismissal. Jonathan Lombardi filed a complaint against the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, commonly known as Amtrak, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 5, 2025. The lawsuit claims that Amtrak unlawfully terminated Lombardi's employment due to his race and gender and in retaliation for raising safety concerns.
Jonathan Lombardi, who had been with Amtrak since May 2008, held various managerial positions before his employment was abruptly terminated in January 2022. Throughout his tenure, Lombardi received positive performance reviews and accolades for his leadership skills. However, he alleges that tensions arose when he was instructed to discipline a colleague for inappropriate behavior—a task he carried out under the direction of Human Resources. The complaint details an incident where Lombardi issued a warning to Lisa Simane, an African American colleague, which later became a point of contention.
Lombardi claims that after a team-building meeting in October 2021, he was falsely accused by HR representatives of disclosing confidential information and berating Simane. Despite denying these allegations and receiving support from colleagues who were present at the meeting, Lombardi found himself embroiled in an investigation led by Amtrak's HR department. He contends that this investigation was flawed and biased against him due to racial dynamics within the company.
The complaint further alleges that Amtrak's decision to terminate Lombardi was influenced by discriminatory animus related to both race and gender stereotypes. It also accuses Amtrak of retaliatory discharge under the Illinois Whistleblower Act after Lombardi raised concerns about safety practices within the company—concerns that were reportedly met with resistance from management.
Lombardi is seeking several forms of relief from the court, including compensatory damages such as back pay and damages for emotional distress. He also requests punitive damages and coverage of all legal costs incurred during this action. The case underscores serious accusations against Amtrak regarding workplace discrimination and whistleblower retaliation.
Representing Jonathan Lombardi is attorney Bradley Manewith from Lichten & Liss-Riordan P.C., while Judge presiding over this case is yet unnamed. The case has been assigned Case No. 1:25-cv-1260.