EAST ST. LOUIS — A former worker at Continental Tire claims she was unlawfully terminated in retaliation for taking Family Medical Leave and suffered discrimination because of her disability.
Heather Bartlett filed a complaint June 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Continental Tire The Americas LLC, alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Illinois Human Rights Act, retaliation and other claims.
According to her complaint, Bartlett began working for Continental Tire through a temporary staffing agency in 2015 and became a permanent employee on Oct. 23, 2017. Bartlett claims she suffered from "medical conditions" that caused "episodes that are unpredictable" and took medications that "caused complications that further limit" her activities. She alleges she was unable to "always seek time off within one hour of her scheduled work" and that Continental was aware of her disability.
Bartlett alleges that from December 2018 through January 2019, her FMLA usage increased. Then in June 2019, after again "formally requesting" medical leave, she was disciplined for excessive absenteeism and was suspended. She claims that after suffering a workplace injury and being out on medical leave for worker's compensation in July 2019, she was unlawfully terminated.
Bartlett seeks monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Ryan Furniss of The Furniss Law Firm LLC in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:21-CV-692-SPM