Approximately four (4) years ago a large trucking client in central Illinois was hit with a highly contentious age discrimination claim that started at the Illinois Department of Human Rights and ended with a long and grueling trial at the Illinois Human Rights Commission. This claim started like any other with a discrimination charge hitting a companies door and allegations that seemed wholly preposterous. The plaintiff’s attorney was looking for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and in a stunning decision by the Illinois Human Rights Commission was wholly unsuccessful in receiving such. More than one (1) year after the last day of trial we received the phenomenal news that the WS client had been vindicated on ALL counts and had successfully won the highly contested case.

The company was accused of impermissibly rejecting an applicant because of his age. The Plaintiff alleged that the company made age related comments regarding the applicant and used these alleged comments as the basis of the case. In any case that is centered around unsubstantiated comments the credibility of witnesses and documents is essential to victory. We were successfully able to establish through both witnesses and documentation that the Plaintiff’s allegations were not credible and that the Company did not use any impermissible factors in its hiring determination. In specific, we presented detailed evidence and testimony regarding the Companies hiring practices, policies and procedures which convinced the administrative law judge that it would have of been ludicrous for any hiring discrimination to have of occurred. The importance of well documented policies, procedures and practices cannot be underestimated and is highlighted by such a successful and thorough victory!