[il-talk] Fw: Article from Chicago Sun Times Metro 2011 04 15

[Jemal Powell]

I came across this article in last Fridays Sun Times on newsline; read this with interest.  

--- On Fri, 4/15/11, NFB-NEWSLINE Online <nfbnewsline at nfb.org> wrote:

> From: NFB-NEWSLINE Online <nfbnewsline at nfb.org>
> Subject: Article from Chicago Sun Times Metro 2011 04 15
> To: "Jemal Powell" <derek2872 at yahoo.com>
> Date: Friday, April 15, 2011, 7:22 PM
> Former Stroger lab technician says
> she was fired after she went blind   
>    By Lisa Donovan Cook County Reporter/ldonovan at suntimes.com 
>         Apr 15, 2011  05:53PM 
> 
> A one-time Stroger Hospital lab technician is suing her
> former employer, alleging she was fired rather than put her
> in a new job after an illness left her legally blind. 
> 
> Carmen Chu, now in her late 50s, worked for more than 17
> years in the pathology department as a medical laboratory
> technologist, where she handled screenings and test results,
> her attorney Timothy Bridge told the Sun-Times. 
> 
> In November 2006, she was diagnosed with diabetic
> retinopathy in both eyes, leaving her legally blind,
> according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit
> Court. Chu underwent surgery and was on medical leave for
> three years and was preparing to return to work in March
> 2009  albeit a different position considering the
> problems with her eyesight, Bridge said. 
> 
> But her request for reassignment to work as a messenger or
> translator was rejected. 
> 
> It was a service messenger job  basically you are a
> messenger at the hospital, Bridge said. It was not as high
> powered as a lab person or a lab tech, but it was a job. She
> went to rehab, got specialized glasses and earnestly got
> herself back in to a position to return to work. Cook County
> (human resources) asked her to do that, (but) once she
> completed everything they asked her to do, they pulled the
> rug out from under her and walked away. 
> 
> Chu was officially removed from the payroll in March of
> this year and is now living on social security, Bridge said.
> 
> 
> The Cook County Human resources people had identified a job
> for her and as you can see from our lawsuit when they were
> actually approached for the finalization  Cook County
> withdrew, they didn't engage to complete her placement. 
> 
> Bridge said they simply gave up on his client. 
> 
> They figured she could go on disability, I guess. But this
> is someone with a disability who wants to work. She's
> collateral  she's old, she's disabled and they're not
> interested in dealing with her, he said. 
> 
> Bridge also believes the dismissal was retaliation for
> filing a discrimination complaint  in the midst of
> trying to return to work - with the Illinois Department of
> Human Rights over the matter. The IDHR dismissed the
> complaint, saying it wasn't within their jurisdiction to
> handle the matter, according to court records. 
> 
> Chu, who listed Cook County government as a defendant, for
> a job commensurate with her knowledge, skills and abilities
> with reasonable accommodation is suing for back pay and
> damages. 
> 
> A spokeswoman for county board president Toni Preckwinkle
> said the office hadn't had a chance to the review the
> lawsuit and could not comment. 
> 
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