In a compelling legal confrontation, a former employee has taken her battle against a prominent corporation to the courts, alleging severe workplace discrimination. Kristen Powell filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on November 21, 2025, accusing Ferguson Enterprises LLC of violating her rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The complaint highlights allegations of gender-based discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and constructive discharge.
Kristen Powell, who served as a Digital Content Copywriter for Ferguson Enterprises LLC from January 3, 2022, until her resignation on September 12, 2025, claims that she faced systematic gender discrimination during her tenure. Despite exceeding performance expectations, Powell alleges that her job assignments were unfairly stripped away and handed over to less qualified male colleagues. This reassignment not only diminished her role but also stunted her career advancement prospects. “To add insult to injury,” Powell states in her complaint that she was compelled to train these less experienced men to perform tasks she had been unjustly deprived of.
The lawsuit further details an incident on August 15, 2024, when Isaac Duchon, Director of Creative Content at Ferguson Enterprises LLC, removed all Search Engine Optimization (SEO) assignments from Powell’s purview and reassigned them to male employees. This action reduced Powell’s responsibilities to what is described as “burn-out work” within the marketing industry—a move that severely impacted her long-term career trajectory by preventing skill utilization and development.
Powell’s efforts to address these grievances internally were met with resistance and dismissal. On August 27, 2024, after raising concerns about being demoted in favor of less qualified men, she was labeled “unprofessional.” Her subsequent filing of a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on January 2, 2025—Charge No. 440-2024-11941—was followed by retaliatory actions from Ferguson Enterprises LLC. According to Powell’s complaint, she was burdened with impossible workloads not imposed on other employees who had not engaged in protected activities.
In seeking justice through the court system, Kristen Powell demands judgment against Ferguson Enterprises LLC for violations under Title VII. She requests compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits along with attorney’s fees and costs incurred in bringing this action forward. Additionally, Powell seeks further relief deemed just and equitable by the court.
Representing Kristen Powell is Kendra D. Spearman from Spearman Law LLC based in Chicago. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:25-cv-14278 in front of judges at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.
Source: 125cv14278_Kristin_Powell_v_Ferguson_Enterprises_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
