A former employee of a renowned research organization is alleging religious discrimination and retaliation in a lawsuit that could have far-reaching implications for workplace religious accommodations. Adriena Turner filed a complaint on March 12, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The lawsuit claims violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, citing unlawful discrimination based on religion, failure to accommodate her religious practices, and retaliatory actions following her request for such accommodations.
Adriena Turner, who worked as a Field Interviewer from October 2020 until her termination in December 2024, identifies as a Jehovah’s Witness. Her faith requires attendance at religious services on specific days and times—Tuesdays at 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 10:30 AM—which she communicated to her employer. According to the complaint, Turner's request not to work during these times was met with hostility rather than accommodation. She asserts that this reasonable request did not impose any undue burden on her employer but was instead met with retaliatory actions including hyper-scrutiny of her work and eventual termination.
The situation escalated when Turner was summoned to a meeting with three managers on December 11, 2024. During this meeting, she experienced what she describes as intimidation tactics and unwarranted criticism that were not applied to non-Jehovah’s Witness employees. Following this meeting, Turner alleges she was stripped of all work responsibilities despite being guaranteed a minimum number of hours per week. This drastic reduction in work hours is seen by Turner as a calculated act of retaliation for asserting her rights under federal law.
Turner also accuses the organization of defamation through its managerial staff. Specifically, Mary Young-Kim allegedly made false statements about Turner's trustworthiness due to her religious beliefs, which were shared with coworkers and intended to damage Turner's reputation within the company. These defamatory remarks were reportedly made within Young-Kim's capacity as an agent of the defendant organization.
In seeking redress from the court, Turner requests back pay with interest, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees and costs, pre-judgment interest if applicable, and any other relief deemed just by the court. The case underscores significant issues regarding religious accommodations in employment settings and highlights potential systemic biases against certain religious practices.
Representing Adriena Turner is Peyton M. Paschke from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while details about defense counsel remain undisclosed in the document. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:25-cv-02607 in front of judges yet unnamed.