A former accounts payable manager claims she was subjected to discriminatory treatment at an industrial packaging company, including being given unequal workloads and ultimately being terminated because of her race and national origin. The complaint was filed by Yesenia Boye in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 17, 2026, naming B2B Industrial Products, LLC as the defendant.
According to the filing, Boye alleges that B2B Industrial Products violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Illinois Human Rights Act by treating her differently from her predominantly Caucasian colleagues. The lawsuit states that Boye began working as Accounts Payable Manager on or about June 23, 2025, and was terminated on or about November 6, 2025. She claims to have met or exceeded performance expectations throughout her employment.
The complaint outlines that Boye is Mexican and identifies as Hispanic. She alleges that since at least June 2025, she was subjected to different terms and conditions of employment than others not within her protected class. The filing states that Barbara Weiler, who served as Interim Accounts Payable Manager before Boye’s hiring, lacked a proper understanding of the role but was responsible for training Boye. Despite this challenge, Boye claims she was expected to perform all duties associated with her position while managing additional responsibilities.
The document further describes how Weiler was terminated in mid-August 2025 for poor performance and unprofessional behavior. Afterward, Boye continued managing her team under what she describes as difficult conditions with multiple time-consuming programs. She asserts that this unequal workload contrasted with the lighter tasks assigned to other employees in similar roles.
In September 2025, Chris Cleary—identified as Plaintiff’s Controller and supervisor—allegedly made a remark directed at Boye regarding closing accounting matters on time. When Boye communicated concerns about stress and workload via Teams message to Cleary—a communication described in the filing as protected activity opposing disparate treatment—she was subsequently written up for not meeting deadlines.
The complaint states: “Chris Cleary did not fully understand Plaintiff’s responsibilities or the volume of work required, yet Plaintiff was held to a different standard than her Caucasian coworkers.” In mid-October 2025, Cleary placed Boye on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) requiring her to train direct reports while continuing full duties amid extended working hours. According to the suit: “Plaintiff was the only manager required to work these extended hours,” while other managers were not subject to similar demands.
Boye also claims she observed that members of the predominantly Caucasian human resources team were allowed work-from-home flexibility denied to her. She contends these patterns reinforced differential treatment based on race and national origin.
On November 6, 2025, Boye’s employment ended with what she describes as an unlawful termination rooted in discrimination: “Plaintiff was unlawfully terminated because of her race (Hispanic) and national origin (Mexican).”
The lawsuit includes four counts: violation of Title VII (race-based discrimination), violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act (race-based discrimination), violation of Title VII (national origin-based discrimination), and violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act (national origin-based discrimination). Each count repeats allegations that Boye belonged to a protected class due to race or national origin; met job qualifications; performed satisfactorily; received less favorable treatment than similarly situated employees outside those classes; faced adverse actions such as write-ups and termination; and suffered damages including loss of income and emotional distress.
Boye seeks back pay with interest; front pay; loss of benefits; compensatory and punitive damages; reasonable attorneys’ fees; pre-judgment interest if applicable; and any other relief deemed just by the court. A jury trial has been requested for all issues raised in the case.
Attorneys Chad W. Eisenback and Chasidy K. Clark from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., located in Lombard, Illinois, represent Yesenia Boye in this matter under case number 1:26-cv-02966.
Source: 126cv02966_Yesenia_Boye_v_Bsb_Industrial_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
