A former employee has taken legal action against a major city, claiming religious discrimination after being denied a COVID-19 vaccine exemption. Jamillah A. Omar filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 2, 2025, accusing the City of Chicago of violating her rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Jamillah Omar, who worked as a Customer Service Manager for Chicago's Department of Finance from August 2012 until January 2022, alleges that her request for a religious exemption from the city's mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy was unjustly denied. According to Omar, her sincere belief that "God created and designed my body with a perfect immune system" should have exempted her from altering it through vaccination. The city, however, rejected her request on the grounds that she could not provide affirmation from a religious leader—a requirement not stipulated by Title VII. Consequently, Omar was placed on indefinite unpaid leave and felt compelled to resign on January 25, 2022.
Omar's lawsuit accuses the City of Chicago of unlawful religious discrimination and disparate treatment under Title VII and seeks compensatory damages for economic loss and emotional distress. She argues that other employees were granted exemptions without such stringent requirements and contends that the city's actions forced her into constructive discharge by making continued employment untenable without compromising her beliefs. Furthermore, Omar asserts that less restrictive measures than mandatory vaccination could have been implemented to ensure workplace safety.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court including back pay, front pay in lieu of reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages for both economic losses and emotional distress, prejudgment interest, attorney’s fees, costs associated with bringing this action forward, and any additional relief deemed just by the court. Omar's case highlights ongoing tensions between public health mandates and individual religious freedoms during unprecedented times.
Representing Jamillah A. Omar is attorney Blake Horwitz from The Blake Horwitz Law Firm Ltd., based in Chicago. The case is being heard in front of judges at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case No. 1:25-cv-3534.