A former executive for Cedarhurst Assisted Living in Jacksonville has sued in federal court after they lost their job. According to documents filed in the Central District Court of Illinois on October 5th, Christine Neff of Champaign alleges that Cedarhurst violated the Family Medical Leave Act while she was Senior Regional Director of Operations in November 2019 by terminating her. Cedarhurst alleges that Neff voluntarily terminated her employment.
Under facts filed in the case by Neff, she alleges that in November 2018 her workload in the position increased to 60 hours a week, which Cedarhurst has denied. Neff says she met with Cedarhurst Vice President of Operations Almir Sajtovic on November 4th, 2019 to discuss her health concerns relating to the job that alleges a sleep disorder had set in due to stress, and again contacted him on November 14th. It’s during the phone conversation on November 14th that Cedarhurst alleges Neff resigned her position voluntarily.
Neff says that she contacted human resources and asked for employee assistance the following day. Several follow ups by Neff included applications to disability insurance and a request for time off from work. Cedarhurst, in answer to the suit, says that they confirmed Neff’s decision to resign on November 17th via a telephone call.
Neff is seeking compensatory and statutory damages and has alleged that her rights have been violated in the suit by the termination of her employment. Neff’s attorneys are seeking a jury trial in the complaint, which has been set to be seen before Judge Sue Myerscough on November 16th, 2021.