A civil engineer has accused his former employer of wrongful termination based on age, disability, and retaliation after reporting a work injury and requesting accommodations. The complaint also alleges that false statements were made about his professional integrity following his dismissal. The lawsuit was filed by Hans Bosshardt in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 5, 2026, naming R.M. Chin & Associates along with supervisors Tim Vedder and Karla Van Winkle as defendants.
According to the court filing (Case No. 2026-CV-02493), Bosshardt claims he was employed by R.M. Chin & Associates from March 2023 until May 19, 2025 as an Engineer III working on major infrastructure projects including the Elgin O’Hare Western Access project. The complaint states that Bosshardt is a 64-year-old male who suffers from arthritis in his knees and hips, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and migraine headaches—conditions which he disclosed to his employer along with requests for reasonable workplace accommodations.
The document reports that Bosshardt provided medical documentation to human resources regarding his need to use a cane at work and avoid ladders due to hip issues. He also informed supervisor Tim Vedder about needing to take medication using a nebulizer at the worksite and performing paperwork while seated in his car because of joint pain. According to the complaint, these accommodations were never objected to during his employment; instead, Bosshardt consistently received positive performance reviews from Vedder as well as raises and bonuses.
In March 2025, Bosshardt told Vedder that he would require knee replacement surgery and would need medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The filing alleges that Vedder discouraged him from taking leave during peak work season by suggesting he wait until “off-season.” In May 2025, after suffering a foot injury at work—which he reported both verbally and via text message—Bosshardt sought urgent care treatment over the weekend.
On May 19, 2025—the day after receiving medical treatment—Bosshardt says he discussed his injury again with Vedder before being terminated hours later for allegedly no longer being needed on the project. When questioned about this reasoning given ongoing project demands, Bosshardt was referred to Van Winkle who stated he was terminated for spending too much time in his car—a practice previously allowed as an accommodation for his disabilities.
The complaint asserts that only after termination did company representatives cite new reasons for dismissal: sleeping in his car at work, dishonesty regarding job tasks completion, and inability to perform basic duties—all described by Bosshardt as “false and defamatory.” The document further claims these statements were shared internally among company staff without investigation or prior warning during employment.
Bosshardt’s legal claims include discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA), violation of FMLA rights through interference and retaliation, failure to reimburse business expenses under the Illinois Wage Payment & Collection Act (IWPCA), retaliatory discharge following a workplace injury report under state law public policy protections related to workers’ compensation rights, as well as defamation per se against all named defendants.
He seeks compensatory damages including lost wages (back pay and front pay), benefits losses, emotional distress damages described as “garden-variety,” punitive damages where applicable—including for alleged malice or reckless disregard—litigation costs and attorneys’ fees across all counts. For certain statutory violations such as IWPCA claims related to unreimbursed cell phone expenses used for business purposes ($60 per month per contract terms), additional penalties are requested.
The suit is brought by attorneys Kristi Nelson and Ellie Buchanan of Katten & Temple LLP in Chicago. The case is identified as Case No. 2026-CV-02493.
Source: 126cv02493_Hans_Bosshardt_v_RM_Chin_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf