Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 1 of 9 PageID #:1 IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  DISTRICT  COURT   FOR  THE  NORTHERN  DISTRICT  OF  ILLINOIS   EASTERN  DIVISION       MONA  GARNER,         )                   )     No.     Plaintiff,         )               )     Judge:   v.             )               )     Magistrate  Judge:               )   CLEARSTAFF,  INC.         )     JURY  DEMAND               )     Defendant.         )       COMPLAINT  AT  LAW   NOW  COMES,    the  Plaintiff,  MONA  GARNER,    by  and  through  her  attorney,  Denise  M.   Mercherson,  and  complains  of  Defendant,  CLEARSTAFF,  INC.    as  follows:   NATURE  OF  THE  CLAIM   1. Plaintiff,  MONA  GARNER    sues  to  redress  the  legal  and  equitable  wrongs   she     suffered   when   Defendant   discriminated   against   her   on   the   basis   of     race,   American   Indian,   sex,   female   and   retaliation   for   engaging   in   protected  activity  in  violation  of  Title  VII  of  the  Civil  Rights  Act  of  1964  as   amended,   42   USC   Section   1981,   Age   Discrimination   in   Employment   Act,   the  Americans  with  Disabilities  Act  of    1990  as  amended  and  interfering   with  her  rights  under  the  Family  and  Medical  Leave  Act  of  1993.   JURISDICTION   2. This  court  has  jurisdiction  over  this  case  pursuant  to  28  USC  Section  1331   (federal  question)  and  Section  1343  (civil  rights).   THE  PARTIES     1   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 2 of 9 PageID #:2 3. Plaintiff,   MONA   GARNER,   American   Indian,   race,   date   of   birth,   October   06,1957  is  an  adult  citizen  residing  in  the  County  of  Cook,  Illinois.   4. Defendant,     CLEARSTAFF,   INC.     is   a   corporation   doing   business   under   the   laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois.   FACTS  COMMON  TO  ALL  COUNTS   5. Plaintiff  was  hired  by  CLEARSTAFF    on  or  about  March  3,  2003  as  a    Sales   Representative.   6. Plaintiff’s   job   duties   included,   but   were   not   limited   to   sales   and   maintaining  customer  relationships.   7. Plaintiff’s   job   performance   was   satisfactory   and   met   her     employer’s   legitimate  expectations.   8. Starting  in  March  2007  Plaintiff  complained  to  CLEARSTAFF    that  Jennifer   Kelly,  a  sales  representative  would  make  comments  in  sales  meetings  that   were   of   a   sexual   and   racial   nature   that   were   offensive   to   the   Plaintiff.   Kelly  repeatedly  made  references  to    giving  potential  clients  “blow  jobs”   as   a   means   of   how   she   would   close   sales   accounts     ;     made   racial   comments  in  a  Black  female  or  ethnic  voice  that  she  called  “Mitilda”  and   made  racial  comments  and  openly  stated  that  another  sale  representative   Lee  Olson,  Caucasian  was  married  to  a  “nigger”;  that  she  was  going  to  “eat   chitlins   and   black   eye   peas”   and   referred   to   Olson   as   a   “Wigger”,   an   offensive  racial  term.     9.  In  March,  2007  Plaintiff  complained  to  Dave  Sparkman,  Sales  Manager.   10. Sparkman  took  no  action  to  address  Plaintiff’s  complaints.   2   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 3 of 9 PageID #:3 11. Plaintiff   complained   again   to   Sparkman   from   Janaury   2008   to   March   2008   that   Kelly   continued   to   make   racial   slurs   about   African   Americans   and  made  gestures  that  were  sexually  explicit  and  offensive  to  her.   12. From   May,   2008   to   October,   2008   the   Plaintiff   was   forced   to     split   sales   commissions  with  Kelly  without  her  agreement.   13. From   May,   2008   to   October,   2008   the   Plaintiff   was   locked   out   of   her   computer,   removed   from   her   profitable   sales   territory,   accused   of   insubordination,   left   out   of   office   functions   and   threatened   with   termination.   14. On   October   14,   2008,     Plaintiff   was   given   a   Final   Warning   by   her   managers   Sparkman   and   Richard   Seeman   for   allegedly   approaching   Kelly   in  an  intimidating  manner  on  October  1,  2008.   15. On   October   30,   2008,     Plaintiff   filed   with   the   Illinois   Department   of   Human   Rights   Charge   No.   2009CF1281.   Plaintiff   charged   CLEARSTAFF   with  employment  discrimination  on  the  basis  of  retaliation.   16. On   November   7,   2008,   Plaintiff   filed   with   the   Equal   Employment   Opportunity   Commission   No.   440-­‐2009-­‐00756.     Plaintiff   charged   CLEASTAFF     with   employment   discrimination   on   the   basis   of   sex   and   retaliation  for  engaging  in  protected  activity.     17. On   March   30,   2009   the   Plaintiff   was   taken   in   ambulance   from   work   to   Good  Samaritan  Hospital  in  Downer  Grove,  Illinois.       3   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 4 of 9 PageID #:4 18.  Plaintiff   received   medical   treatment   from   March   31,   2009   to   April   10,   2009   in   a   day   program   from   8   am   to   4   pm   daily   for   a   serious   health   condition.     19. CLEARSTAFF     continued   to   ask   Plaintiff   to   come   to   work   despite   her   application  for  FMLA  leave  coverage  in  March  2009  and  April  2009.     20. CLEASRSTAFF   denied   the   Plaintiff   a   part   time   or   flexible   work   schedule   during  the  physician  ordered  intensive  day  program.   21. On  April  28,  2009,    the  Plaintiff  was  forced  to  report  to  the  North  Pulaski   office   for   lack   of   sales   and   forced   to   share   sales   accounts   and   commissions  with  Kelly.     22. On   August   24,   2009,   the     Plaintiff   filed   with   the   Equal     Employment   Commission  Charge  No.  440-­‐2009-­‐06321.  Plaintiff  charged  CLEARSTAFF   with   employment   discrimination   based   on   disability   discrimination   and   retaliation  for  engaging  in  protected  activity.   23. On  September  28,  2009,  the    Plaintiff  filed  with  the  Illinois  Department  of   Human   Rights   Charge   No.   2010CF0923.   Plaintiff   charged   CLEARSTAFF       with   employment   discrimination   based   on   retaliation   for   engaging   in   protected  activity.   24. On  November  2,  2009,  CLEARSTAFF    discharge  the  Plaintiff.     25. On   November   16,   2009,   the   Plaintiff   filed   with   the   Equal   Employment   Opportunity   Commission   Charge   No.   440-­‐2010-­‐00639.   Plaintiff   charged   CLEARSTAFF    with  retaliation  for  engaging  in  protected  activity.     4   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 5 of 9 PageID #:5 26. Plaintiff  has  filed  her  complaint  within  90  days  of  receipt  of  the  Notice  of   Right  to  Sue.   Count  I  –  Race  Discrimination   27. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   28. By   the   conduct   alleged   herein,   Defendant   engaged   in   unlawful   employment   practices   in   violation   of   Title   VII   and   42   USC   Section   1981,   by   allowing   discrimination   on   the   basis   of   Ms.   Garner’s   race,   American   Indian  to  occur  on  its  premises  and  in  its  workplace  by  removing    client   accounts,  verbal  harassment  and  denying  medical  assistance.   29. That   the   effect   of   the   practices   complained   of   herein   deprived   Ms.   Garner   of   equal   terms,   conditions   and   privileges   of   employment   and   otherwise   affected  her  status  as  employee  because  of  her  race,  American  Indian.   30. The  unlawful  employment  practices  were  intentional.   31. The   unlawful   employment   practices   were   done   with   malice   or   with   reckless  indifference  to  Ms.  Garner’s  federally  protected  rights  to  be  free   from  discrimination  based  on  race  in  the  workplace.   32. As   a   result   of   Defendant’s   unlawful   conduct,   Ms.   Garner   suffered   the   damages  alleged  herein.   Count  II  –  Sex  Discrimination/Hostile  Work  Environment  –  Title  VII   33. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   34. Plaintiff   was   subjected   to   sexually   explicit   statements,     sexual   gestures   and   sexual   innuendo   repeatedly   in     Defendant’s   workplace   during   sales   meetings  and  sales  blitzes.       5   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 6 of 9 PageID #:6 35. Plaintiff  complained  to  management  and  no  corrective  action  was  taken.   36. As   a   result   of   CLEARSTAFF’s   unlawful   acts   the   Plaintiff   has   suffered   damages.   Count  III  –  Retaliation  –  Title  VII  and  ADA   37. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   38. Plaintiff  complained  in  March,  2007,    January,  2008  through  March  2008   to  management  of  racial  slurs  and  sexual  comments  and  gestures.   39. Plaintiff   filed   employment   discrimination   charges   against   CLEARSTAFF   on    October  30,  2008,  November  7,  2008,  April  28,  2009,  August  24,  2009   and  September  28,  2009.   40. Plaintiff   was   subjected   to   unequal   terms   and   conditions   of   employment,   disciplined,   denied   a   reasonable   accommodation   for   her   disability   and   terminated  in  retaliation  for  engaging  in  protected  activity.   41. As   a   result   of   CLEARSTAFF’s   unlawful   acts   the   Plaintiff   has   suffered   damages.       Count  IV  –  Americans  with  Disabilities  Act   42. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   43. In   March   2009,   Plaintiff   put   CLEARSTAFF     on   notice   that   she   suffered   from  a  disability.   44. In   April   2009,   Plaintiff   sought   a   reasonable   accommodation   from   employer  and  it  was  not  granted.   45. Defendant  fostered  a  culture  of  hostility  through  management  as  a  result   of  her  disability.     6   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 7 of 9 PageID #:7 46. Defendant  intentionally  discriminated  against  Plaintiff  on  account  of  her   disability  in  violation  of  the  ADA.   47. Defendant   created   a   hostile   environment,   failed   to   grant   a   reasonable   accommodation  for  her  disability  and  discharged  her.   48. As   a   result   of   CLEARSTAFF’s   unlawful   acts   the   Plaintiff   has   suffered   damages.   Count  V-­‐  Age  Discrimination  in  Employment  Act   49. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   50. Defendant   discriminated   against   the   Plaintiff   on   the   basis   of   her   age   by   harassing   her,   subjecting   her   to   unequal   terms   and   conditions   of   employment,   removing   her   from   accounts,     and   denying   her   medical   assistance.     51. As   a   result   of   CLEARSTAFF’s   unlawful   acts   the   Plaintiff   has   suffered   damages.   Count  VI  –  FMLA  Retaliation  and/or  Interference   52. Plaintiff  re-­‐alleges  paragraphs  1  through  26  herein.   53. CLEARSTAFF    by  requiring  to  return  to  work  to  secure  FMLA  paperwork   and/or  approval  intentionally  and  willfully  retaliated  against  her  and/or   discriminated  against  her  for  exercising  her  rights  under  the  Family  and   Medical   Leave   Act   of   1993   and/or   interfered   with   her   exercise   of   those   rights.     7   Case: 1:14-cv-02034 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 8 of 9 PageID #:8 54. As   a   proximate   result   of   CLEARSTAFF’s   retaliation   and/or   interference   Ms.   Garner   lost   wages,   lost   other   compensation   and   lost   the   enjoyment   of   her  FMLA  entitled  leave.   WHEREFORE,   Plaintiff   MONA   GARNER     respectfully   requests   that   this   Honorable   Court   enter   judgment   in   her   favor   and   against   Defendant   for   re-­‐instatement,   back   pay,   lost   benefits,   front   pay,   compensatory   damages,   punitive   damages,   liquidated   damages,    reasonable  attorneys’  fees  and  the  costs  and  expenses  of  this  action  and   such  other  relief  as  this  Court  deems  just  and  appropriate.               JURY  TRIAL  DEMAND                 Respectfully  submitted:               MONA  GARNER               By:  s/Denise  M.  Mercherson       Denise  M.  Mercherson   Law  Office  of  Denise  M.  Mercherson   53  West  Jackson,  Suite  1350   Chicago,  Illinois  60604   312-­‐360-­‐1522   312-­‐277-­‐2358  (fax)                                     8   Case: 1:14-Cv-02034 Document 1 Filed: 03/21/14 Page 9 of 9 PageID