EDWARDSVILLE — A female employee is suing Copper B-Line, alleging it failed to pay her the same rate as her male co-workers for performing the same job.
Lynette Hongsermeier filed a complaint Oct. 6 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Copper B-Line Inc., alleging violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and Illinois Equal Pay Act.
Hongsermeier alleges in her complaint that since becoming employed by B-Line at its Troy facility, she is entitled to protections under the Illinois Human Rights Act. She alleges B-Line assigns "leads" for its departments who handle daily operations for that specific department with some "shipping leads" handling managerial responsibilities, such as customer relations. Hongsermeier claims she was the only female lead and served as a shipping lead for the first shift.
She alleges she did not receive the "dual rate of pay" that included one extra dollar per hour, which her male counterparts received. She claims she "performed the same lead duties" from 2013 through 2020 without ever receiving the dual rate that was "promised" to all leads.
Hongsermeier states in her suit that she filed a charge of discrimination with the Illinois Department of Human Rights on March 26 and received a right to commence legal action on Aug. 11.
Hongsermeier seeks monetary compensation of more than $500,000 and all other just relief. She is represented by John Leskera of The Leskera Law Firm in Collinsville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 20-L-001411