News

IFMK Law Partner, Karin Anderson, prevailed on a motion to dismiss a sexual harassment claim in the Circuit Court for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Rock Island County, Illinois. Plaintiff, a former employee in the Public Works Department, filed suit against the City for sexual harassment by his supervisor and male co-workers. Plaintiff alleged sexual harassment in his administrative charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights, but the charge was untimely and dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. In his complaint at law, Plaintiff alleged there had been ongoing sexual harassment and the more recent incidents of harassment made the charge timely. He argued that it was an issue of fact for a jury to decide. Karin argued that the court lacked jurisdiction because the ongoing harassment was never addressed in the administrative charge and the court agreed. The parties settled the claim of retaliatory discharge for a nominal amount.