A former North Chicago police officer has settled a lawsuit for $475,000 in a case against the department for religious and national origin discrimination.
Ramtin Sabet sued the city of North Chicago and its former and current police chiefs in March 2017 — a month after he was fired from the department. Sabet joined the department in 2007 and faced harassment for his Muslim faith and Iranian origin, according to the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
While working at the department, Sabet filed multiple complaints alleging coworkers made Islamophobic comments and insults. The complaints included one for discrimination to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2016.
However, despite the efforts a hostile work environment continued and eventually led to Sabet’s termination in February of 2017, CAIR said.
“This settlement represents not only a personal victory but a triumph for everyone who has faced discrimination at the workplace,” Sabet said in a statement. “It re-affirms that standing up against injustice can lead to positive change. I am grateful to CAIR-Chicago for standing with me through the hardships of all these years, and to the Almighty Allah for giving me the strength and courage to persevere even while facing constant harassment and injustice in North Chicago.”
The North Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
