The Village of Bradley faces serious allegations as a group of part-time firefighters claims they were denied rightful overtime pay. The complaint, filed by Jeremy Neufeld and others in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 29, 2025, accuses the Village of Bradley of violating both federal and state labor laws.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiffs Jeremy Neufeld, John Bush, Landon Despot, Audis Edwards, Chad Elder, Gracie Hir, Kayla Karraker, Daniel Meier, Lucas Schejbal, Tyler Smaga, Katelyn Surane, and Drew Walters assert that since at least April 2022 until January 2025, they were not compensated for overtime hours worked beyond 212 hours in a 28-day work period. This is in direct violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL). Despite performing duties identical to their full-time counterparts and often working similar or greater hours due to additional shifts encouraged by the Village's policies, these part-time firefighters received only their standard hourly wage without any overtime compensation. The plaintiffs argue that this failure to pay was not an oversight but a deliberate policy by the Village to avoid paying overtime wages.
The lawsuit further alleges that despite being aware of its obligations under labor laws, the Village continued its practice of underpayment knowingly and intentionally. It even went so far as to alter timekeeping records to conceal actual hours worked by employees. Plaintiffs claim that this manipulation was done with reckless disregard for legal requirements. In January 2025, however, the Village reportedly changed its policy to begin compensating part-time firefighters appropriately for overtime hours.
The plaintiffs are seeking various forms of relief from the court including unpaid overtime wages calculated at one-and-one-half times their regular rate for all excess hours worked during each relevant period. They also seek liquidated damages under FLSA provisions and treble damages under IMWL statutes along with interest on overdue payments. Additionally, they request declaratory relief affirming that Defendant’s actions were willful violations of applicable labor laws. The suit demands civil penalties and reimbursement for attorneys’ fees incurred throughout this legal battle.
Represented by attorneys Matt Pierce and Alex Behn from Asher Gittler & D’Alba Ltd., the plaintiffs have requested a jury trial to resolve these grievances against their employer. This case is presided over in Case No. 25-CV-4685 within Illinois' Northern District Court system.