Janile Marino, a former assistant teacher at Ivy Garden Learning Center, LLC, has filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation and wrongful termination after reporting the mistreatment of children. The complaint was filed on April 22, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois against Ivy Garden Learning Center, LLC.
The case revolves around Marino's claims under the Illinois Whistleblower Act and common law for retaliatory discharge. Marino began her employment with Ivy Garden Learning Center on October 2, 2023, and alleges that she was unlawfully terminated on December 20, 2024. Throughout her tenure, Marino reported several instances of child mistreatment to her managers and corporate headquarters. She described incidents where a teacher named Kai allegedly squeezed a child's arm out of anger and forced a baby to pick up food from the floor aggressively. Marino also recounted situations where children were left in soiled diapers for extended periods and were not provided adequate food.
Despite raising these concerns with managers Sarah Hernandez and Catherine Leone, as well as corporate representatives during a meeting on July 12, 2024, Marino claims that no action was taken to address the issues. Instead, she alleges that her schedule was altered unfavorably after lodging complaints about the treatment of children. Furthermore, Marino states that during visits from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), management would instruct staff to alter their usual practices to avoid scrutiny.
Marino asserts that her termination was directly linked to her whistleblowing activities. She contends that other employees who did not engage in similar protected activities did not face adverse employment actions. The lawsuit seeks redress for violations under the Illinois Whistleblower Act and wrongful termination against public policy.
In terms of relief sought from the court, Marino is demanding back pay with interest, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages exceeding $50,000.01 along with reasonable attorney fees and costs. She also requests any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The legal representation for Janile Marino is provided by Chad W. Eisenback and Nathan C. Volheim from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., located in Lombard, Illinois. The case has been assigned Case ID: 2025L005386 in the Circuit Court of Cook County.