BELLEVILLE – Ashley Howe of Marion County and FW Logistics of St. Clair County settled her claim that she lost her job for catching COVID-19.
They reported an agreement to St. Clair County Circuit Judge Heinz Rudolf on Feb. 28.
Howe’s counsel Christopher Daniels of Salem sued FW in 2021, alleging retaliation and wrongful discharge.
He claimed FW employed Howe as customer service representative in 2020.
He claimed she became ill and was tested in the course of her employment.
He added that she told her employer she awaited results and needed to quarantine as mandated.
Daniels claimed FW contacted Howe four days later and advised her she was terminated.
He claimed she lost substantial wages and she suffered humiliation and emotional distress.
He claimed FW’s conduct contravened public policy and punitive damages were necessary.
FW counsel Katherine Rodosky of Chicago stated that, “after calling off several days in a row for non-Covid related issues, plaintiff informed her supervisor that she was waiting for results from a Covid test.”
Rodosky denied Howe said she needed to quarantine.
She admitted Howe was terminated at the end of her initial 90 days.
She denied retaliation and wrongful discharge.
Last October, Rudolf set trial this August.
He set a conference on the status of the settlement on May 3.