BELLEVILLE – An East St. Louis police officer is suing the department for allegedly failing to abide by a court order in a prior wrongful termination lawsuit.
Plaintiff Debra R. Cole filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against the City of East. St. Louis, Robert Eastern, Carlos Manfield, Monica Grandberry and Latoya Clemons citing discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was employed as a police officer by the City of East St. Louis, a position for which she was paid $70,473 annually and was protected by a union.
The lawsuit states that on April 11, 2022, and Oct. 20, 2022, the court found in the plaintiff's favor for a claim of wrongful discharge and ordered the defendants to pay full backpay, restore full seniority and benefits, and allow Cole to return to her job on or before April 25, 2022. Cole alleges the defendants failed to provide payments as ordered and return her to work until Feb. 6, 2023.
Cole claims the defendants were aware of the court orders, but they have attempted to force her to return to work on second shift instead of her preferred first shift despite her being the most senior patrol officer. She adds that the defendants have failed to pay her wages and benefits from April 25, 2022, through Feb. 5, 2023, have failed to pay into her pension fund, failed to reinstate her medical insurance and have failed to transfer her to active duty status on the Illinois State Police Training Board. She adds that since she has returned to work, the defendants have prohibited her from taking any rest or lunch breaks, and have refused to allow her to claim vacation entitlement, sick days, and personal days, falsely claiming that she is a new employee.
The plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus court costs and any other relief the court deems proper. She is represented in this case by attorney Brian M. Wendle, Angie M. Zinzilieta, and Warren E. Benning of Wendler & Zinzilieta, P.C. in Maryville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 23LA0166