BELLEVILLE – Former BRIA Health Services employee Stacey Schneidewind claims she lost her job last year because she asked for a tighter mask.
Attorneys John Leskera and Justin Leskera of Collinsville sued the nursing home for her in St. Clair County circuit court on Aug. 24.
Schneidewind’s suit claims her termination violated public policy as exemplified by Gov. Pritzker’s executive order.
BRIA hired Schneidewind in August 2019, as hospital liaison for facilities on North 27th Street in Belleville and Jerome Lane in Cahokia.
In March 2020, BRIA instructed her to report to Cahokia for marketing duties as needed.
The suit says that on May 24, 2020, “Plaintiff was instructed to sit with a lonely resident to provide companionship.
“Plaintiff requested to be issued a new N95 face mask because the one she had been issued was defective and did not furnish a tight seal.”
Nursing administrator Amber Hernandez is alleged to have said, “A face mask is not needed because the resident is not in the covid unit of the nursing home.
“Plaintiff replied that face mask coverings were required and she was only seeking the same benefits all other employees were provided.”
Hernandez allegedly replied, “You do not need a mask and since you will not do what I say, you are fired.”
Schneidewind alleges damages including loss of employment, wages, and benefits.
She also alleges0 distress, humiliation, and inability to support herself and her minor son.
As of Sept. 9, Chief Circuit Judge Andrew Gleeson hadn’t assigned a judge.
In 2018, state regulators suspended Schneidewind’s real estate broker license for failure to file or pay Illinois state income taxes.
Their website marks the license as inactive and shows it expired last September.