Deen v. Lustig

785 N.E.2d 521, 337 Ill. App. 3d 294, 271 Ill. Dec. 589
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 31, 2003
Docket4-02-0394
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 785 N.E.2d 521 (Deen v. Lustig) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deen v. Lustig, 785 N.E.2d 521, 337 Ill. App. 3d 294, 271 Ill. Dec. 589 (Ill. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

JUSTICE KNECHT

delivered the opinion of the court:

In February 2000, petitioner, Jerry Deen, filed a charge of discrimination in violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act (Human Rights Act) (775 ILCS 5/1 — 101 through 10 — 103 (West 2000)) against the Illinois State Police (State Police). In March 2001, the Illinois Department of Human Rights (Department of Human Rights) dismissed Deen’s charge for lack of jurisdiction and lack of substantial evidence. In April 2001, Deen requested review by the chief legal counsel for the Illinois Department of Human Rights (Chief Legal Counsel). In April 2001, the Chief Legal Counsel vacated the dismissal and directed the Department of Human Rights to perform further work as necessary and other further proceedings by the Department of Human Rights. In November 2001, the Department of Human Rights again dismissed Deen’s charge for lack of jurisdiction and lack of substantial evidence. In November 2001, Deen again requested review by the Chief Legal Counsel. In April 2002, the Chief Legal Counsel sustained the dismissal. Deen appeals directly to this court pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 335 (155 Ill. 2d R. 335), arguing the order of the Chief Legal Counsel sustaining the dismissal of his charge of discrimination as to the allegation the State Police failed to return him to work for reason of a mental handicap was an abuse of discretion or arbitrary and capricious. We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

Deen began employment with the State Police in October 1972. In June 1997, Larry D. Drager, Deputy Director of the State Police, sent a letter titled “Official Action” to Deen. This letter fisted six incidents, between May 1996 and January 1997, that led Drager to order Deen to present himself to Dr. Michael Campion for a mandatory psychological evaluation to determine Deen’s suitability as a sergeant. The letter read as follows:

“On January 20, 1997, you telephoned Constance Humphrey, secretary to William Cellini. During this conversation, you disclosed inappropriate information [in] reference [to] your personal and professional life.
On January 20, 1997, during your conversation with Ms. Humphrey, you used your official position with the [State Police] by reminding Ms. Humphrey you were the agent who favorably completed Mr. Cellini’s Illinois Gaming Board background investigation. You attempted to obtain personal gain in the form of employment for yourself and your niece who had applied for a position on the Alton riverboat.
On January 20, 1997, during your conversation with Ms. Humphrey, you publicly criticized the department and [State Police] command officers with reckless disregard for the truth.
On January 20, 1997, during your conversation with Ms. Humphrey, and on March 14, 1997, during your administrative review, you falsely accused your [State Police] command of unfair treatment against you resulting from your favorable completion of Mr. Cellini’s Illinois Gaming Board background investigation and because of [State Police] command officers’ personal friendship with your ex-wife.
On October 16, 1996, you violated an order of a superior officer by pursuing official information for personal reasons in the course of performing your official duties.
On May 8, 1996, you became involved in an argument with an insurance representative while attending an insurance fair. You made derogatory comments as to the reputation of the insurance carrier and were asked to leave by another [State Police] employee.”

Also in June 1997, the State Police revoked Deen’s firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card because he was found to be a clear and present danger to others. In July 1997, the State Police informed Deen that Dr. Campion had determined Deen was incapable of performing the duties of an Illinois State Police officer.

On October 5, 1998, Dr. Joseph Bohlen wrote a letter to the State Police in which he stated it was his medical opinion it would be appropriate to reinstate Deen’s FOID card. On October 8, 1998, the State Police reinstated Deen’s FOID card. On September 29, 1999, Deen presented himself to Douglas Brown, First Deputy Director of the State Police and advised Brown he was ready to return to work with accommodations. The State Police refused to return Deen to active duty in September 1999. On January 24, 2000, Deen’s counsel sent a letter to Deputy Director Brown listing the accommodations Deen required. Deen requested (1) continued use of Luvox upon his physician’s prescription and direction, (2) future workday consultation with Dr. Bohlen, and (3) job reassignment that did not include overnight travel. Deen alleges in his brief that in May 2000 he was placed in relieved-of-duty-with-pay status as a result of the State Police’s May 2000 receipt of the medical release from Dr. Bohlen.

In November 2000, the State Police notified Deen he would not be reinstated and that he could appeal the decision to the State Police Medical Review Board. In January 2001, Deen sought review of the decision by the State Police with the Medical Review Board. Deen asked that Dr. Marsh, the State Police medical expert, be present at the meeting of the Medical Review Board, alleging Dr. Marsh released Deen for duty in July 2000. The record fails to show what occurred at the Medical Review Board meeting, but Deen alleges in his brief that as a result of that meeting, he was removed from relieved-of-duty-with-pay status.

In February 2000, Deen filed a complaint with the Department of Human Rights charging the State Police with discrimination in violation of the Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/2 — 102(A) (West 2000)). In his complaint, Deen alleged the State Police relieved Deen of duty with pay and involuntarily transferred him to sick-leave status in January 1997. Deen further alleged after the evaluation by Dr. Campion, he underwent independent psychiatric consultation with his own doctor, Dr. Bohlen. Deen’s basis for relief was the State Police’s September 29, 1999, refusal and continued refusal to reemploy Deen with the requested accommodations despite “[Been’s] significant recovery from the mental/medical condition perceived of him by [the State Police].” Been further alleged the accommodations he requested “are both necessary and reasonable in terms of economic consequence to [the State Police] and intra[ ]departmental discipline of [the State Police’s] other employees.” In his charge, Been sought reinstatement to his former position or a similar position for which he is qualified, reinstatement of all sick leave and vacation leave Been used between January 1997 and February 7, 2000, reasonable attorney fees, and any “other make whole orders as are proper.”

The State Police filed a response in which it admitted Been was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, but denied involuntarily transferring Been to sick-leave status in January 1997. The State Police took the position Been could not perform the essential functions of a State Police officer with or without reasonable accommodations. The State Police also denied the accommodations Been requested are reasonable or necessary.

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Bluebook (online)
785 N.E.2d 521, 337 Ill. App. 3d 294, 271 Ill. Dec. 589, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deen-v-lustig-illappct-2003.