Madison County Circuit Judge William Mudge is set to hold a pre-trial conference in a retaliatory discharge suit filed by a former Millennium Rail, Inc. employee who claims his former employer attempted to coerce him to give up his right to continued employment after an injury.
The trial of the suit brought by plaintiff William Sinclair had been set in January but was pushed off.
Mudge is now set to hold a pre-trial in the case July 14 at 9 a.m. with the trial of the suit opening the following Monday also at 9 a.m.
Sinclair is suing Millennium and Watco Companies Inc. for damages in excess of $50,000 a count, punitive damages, and costs.
The plaintiff seeks relief under the Illinois Whistleblower Act and Illinois Human Rights Act.
According to his first amended complaint, Sinclair developed osteoarthritis in both his thumbs in May 2006.
Sinclair then sought worker's compensation.
He claims that after an arbiter approved the $105,000 settlement of his worker's compensation claim in December 2008, he was fired two months later.
He was fired in February 2009.
The plaintiff contends that when he showed up for work on the day he was fired, he was told he didn't have a job and that if he didn't leave he would be arrested for trespassing.
Sinclair claims that the defendants also tried to coerce him into giving up his right to continued employment and that they refused to accommodate his disability as required by law.
Mudge set the July 18 trial in an order signed June 24.
Lee Baron represents Sinclair.
James Paul represents the defendants.
The case is Madison case number 10-L-358.
Millennium Rail retaliatory discharge pre-trial set for July 14
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