In a compelling legal confrontation, a former employee has taken legal action against her previous employer, alleging severe racial discrimination and harassment in the workplace. On February 21, 2025, Rosalind Hollyfield filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Akumin Health Illinois, LLC. The lawsuit claims violations under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including race-based discrimination and retaliation.
Rosalind Hollyfield's allegations paint a troubling picture of her time at Akumin Health Illinois, where she served as a manager from September 2024 until her termination on January 22, 2025. According to the complaint, Hollyfield was subjected to discriminatory remarks and behavior from colleagues that went unaddressed by management. One incident involved a colleague named Michael K., who made an inappropriate comment regarding an African American patient, saying to Hollyfield, "You need to go talk to her because I don't speak black girl." Despite reporting this behavior to her site manager Nancy, no corrective action was taken. Instead, Nancy dismissed the comment as a joke and advised Hollyfield to leave the technicians alone.
Hollyfield also reported issues with another coworker named Alexis who displayed rude behavior towards her. When she sought support from management after being screamed at by Alexis, Nancy sided with Alexis instead of addressing Hollyfield’s concerns. This pattern of dismissive responses from management led Hollyfield to believe that she was not receiving equal treatment compared to other employees outside her protected class.
The culmination of these events led to Hollyfield's termination without explanation shortly after reporting these incidents. She contends that her dismissal was racially motivated and retaliatory due to her complaints about discrimination. The lawsuit accuses Akumin Health Illinois of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by engaging in race-based harassment and failing to provide a supportive work environment free from discrimination.
Hollyfield seeks several forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress and loss of employment benefits, attorney fees and costs, as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. Her case underscores significant issues related to workplace equality and the importance of addressing discriminatory practices within organizations.
Representing Rosalind Hollyfield is attorney Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while no defense attorneys have been listed yet for Akumin Health Illinois in this filing. The case is presided over by judges in the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-01806.