A former employee of the City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation has filed a lawsuit alleging severe workplace harassment and wrongful termination. Sybil Angone, the plaintiff, lodged her complaint against the City of Chicago in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 20, 2026. The case centers around claims of gender-based discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
According to court documents, Angone was employed as a general laborer from March 2017 until her termination in March 2021. Her troubles began after a workplace accident in April 2019 when she was injured due to an improperly equipped garbage truck hitting an overpass. Following multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery period, Angone returned to work only to face rampant rumors about an alleged affair with her supervisor, James Manzulla. Despite clarifying these rumors as false, they persisted and worsened upon her return in April 2020.
Angone describes a hostile work environment where she faced derogatory comments and unwanted advances from colleagues. In one incident, a co-worker named Jessie Rogers allegedly made inappropriate remarks and physical advances towards her during work hours. Despite reporting these incidents to her supervisor Pat Sanders and later to Human Resources representative Katrika Scott, no substantial action was taken to address her complaints.
The lawsuit accuses the City of Chicago of failing to provide a safe working environment free from sexual harassment. Angone asserts that similarly situated male employees were not subjected to such treatment or neglect regarding their complaints. She further alleges that her termination on March 16, 2021, was retaliatory after repeated attempts to seek redress for the ongoing harassment.
Angone seeks various forms of relief through this lawsuit, including compensatory damages for lost wages and emotional distress, punitive damages for reckless disregard by the defendant, and attorney fees under relevant legal provisions. The complaint underscores that the actions by city officials were willful and malicious, warranting judicial intervention.
Representing Angone is Edward M. Fox from Ed Fox & Associates Ltd., based in Chicago. The case is presided over by judges at the Northern District Court under Case ID: 26-cv-1930.
Source: 126cv01930_Sybil_Angone_v_City_of_Chicago_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
