Lori Colbert has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, Symbria Rehab, Inc., alleging multiple violations of employment law, including discrimination and retaliation. The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 27, 2025. Colbert accuses Symbria Rehab of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), asserting that her termination was unlawful and discriminatory.
According to the court documents, Lori Colbert began working as a certified occupational therapist assistant for Symbria Rehab in June 2006. Despite receiving positive feedback on her performance, Colbert faced significant challenges due to her medical conditions, fibromyalgia and a benign brain tumor. In 2022, she was transferred to a new location as her previous work environment exacerbated her symptoms. By 2023, she sought transfers closer to home to mitigate health flare-ups caused by long commutes. However, these requests were not accommodated.
Colbert's situation worsened in 2024 when she began missing work due to medical issues related to extended travel distances. Her manager at the time, Suzanne Russell, discussed Colbert's FMLA status but failed to resolve discrepancies regarding its activation in their system. On November 13, 2024, Colbert was terminated for unexcused absences despite having an active FMLA certification valid until 2025. Post-termination explanations indicated that re-certification of FMLA was required—a requirement unknown to Colbert before her dismissal.
The lawsuit details multiple counts against Symbria Rehab under ADA and FMLA statutes: disability-based discrimination, failure to accommodate disabilities, harassment based on disability, retaliation for engaging in protected activities under ADA, interference with FMLA rights by failing to provide necessary information about leave entitlements, and retaliatory termination after requesting FMLA leave.
Colbert seeks several forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest; front pay; compensation for lost benefits; compensatory and punitive damages; attorney fees; costs; pre-judgment interest if applicable; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The case is being handled by Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., representing Lori Colbert. The presiding judge has yet to be named in Case ID: 1:25-cv-02038.