Anthony Smith has filed a federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and harassment against two major corporations. On March 24, 2025, Smith lodged his complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, accusing Kelly Services Global, LLC and Motorola Solutions, Inc. of violating civil rights laws by fostering a racially hostile work environment and retaliating against him when he reported these issues.
Smith's legal battle centers around his employment as a mechanic assembler from August to November 2024, during which he claims to have been subjected to continuous racial discrimination by coworkers at Motorola Solutions. Despite meeting or exceeding job performance expectations, Smith alleges that he was treated differently than his non-African American colleagues. According to the complaint, coworkers frequently referred to him using derogatory terms such as "slave" and "negro," often in both English and Spanish. The suit details an incident where Smith reported this behavior to his supervisor Marc, who allegedly dismissed the complaints with indifference.
The lawsuit also highlights systemic failures within both companies' management structures. After escalating his concerns about workplace discrimination to Kelly Services in September 2024, Smith claims he received no meaningful support or intervention. Instead, he was advised to contact a state representative—a response that failed to address the immediate workplace hostility. The situation reportedly worsened following this report, culminating in Smith's termination on November 8, 2024, without any formal warnings or documented reasons.
Smith is seeking various forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest for lost wages due to wrongful termination; compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress; reimbursement for legal fees; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. His case argues violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1981 of the U.S. Code concerning race-based discrimination and retaliation.
Representing Anthony Smith is attorney Peyton M. Paschke from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:25-cv-03115 but does not yet list any presiding judge.