A former employee has filed a lawsuit against her previous employer, alleging discrimination and retaliation. Penny Evans initiated the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 21, 2025, targeting Fortune International, LLC. The lawsuit accuses the company of multiple violations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Penny Evans, who worked as an Accounts Payable Specialist at Fortune International from September 2022 until her termination in October 2024, claims she was subjected to race-based discrimination and harassment due to her African American heritage. She also alleges that her disability—a torn ligament requiring surgery—was not accommodated by her employer. According to Evans, after notifying the company about her need for surgery and requesting FMLA leave, she faced hostility and was ultimately terminated under false pretenses. "Joel [CFO] implied that someone would need to take the blame for an unapproved check," despite it being sanctioned by her supervisor, Evans states in her complaint.
Evans further details incidents of racial insensitivity from her supervisor, including derogatory comments such as referring to her as a "monkey in the middle." When she reported these issues to human resources, she was allegedly met with dismissive responses rather than corrective action. The lawsuit argues that these actions constitute a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1981.
The plaintiff seeks several forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, loss of benefits recovery, reasonable attorney fees and costs, along with any other relief deemed just by the court. She contends that Fortune International's conduct has caused significant financial loss and emotional distress.
Representing Penny Evans is Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while no defense attorneys are named in this initial filing. The case is identified as Case No. 1:25-cv-01803.