Prairie Farms supervisor seeks $1 million in punitives for retaliatory discharge

Steven Eldridge of Marion is suing his former employer, claiming he was terminated for exercising his workers' compensation rights.

He is seeking $50,000 inn compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages.

Eldridge claims he worked as a supervisor for Prairie Farms Dairy, located in O'Fallon, and sustained a work-related injury on Sept. 27, 2007.

He claims the plant manager indicated "he was not going to put up with the Plaintiff filing a workers' compensation claim," states the suit filed Nov. 13 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Eldridge claims he was terminated Nov. 2, 2007, in retaliation for exercising his state rights.

He is represented by Mark S. Schuver of Mathis, Marifian, Richter & Grandy of Belleville.

St. Clair County case 08-L-587.