A former employee is taking legal action against a prominent automotive dealership, alleging discrimination and retaliation linked to her pregnancy and gender. Rebecca Hillyard filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 17, 2025, accusing Napleton’s Goldcoast Imports, Inc. of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.
Hillyard's lawsuit claims that during her tenure as a Service Writer from November 2020 until September 2024, she faced discriminatory practices due to her sex and pregnancy. She alleges that upon returning from maternity leave in April 2024, she was excluded from a new commission plan that would have increased her earnings. This exclusion is presented as retaliatory behavior by Napleton’s Goldcoast Imports for Hillyard's maternity leave. The complaint details how Hillyard discovered this omission only after months back at work, despite the plan being available to male colleagues who shared her job title.
The complaint further describes an incident where Hillyard's manager allegedly altered sales records while she was on leave caring for her sick child, transferring credit to a male coworker. This act effectively deprived Hillyard of commissions she had earned through significant effort. When Hillyard confronted management about these issues, including discriminatory pay practices compared to male counterparts, she received conflicting explanations and ultimately faced constructive discharge when Human Resources refused to address her concerns.
In response to these grievances, Hillyard seeks various forms of relief from the court. She requests back pay with interest, front pay and benefits, compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination by the defendant, and coverage of attorney fees and costs.
Representing Rebecca Hillyard are attorneys Nathan C. Volheim and Mally L. Slone from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case is presided over by Judge [Name not provided], under Case ID: 1:25-cv-01632.