Oakton Trustees End Discrimination Claim And Approve Settlement

DES PLAINES, IL — The board of Oakton Community College approved a cash settlement to end a discrimination complaint from an employee. As part of the deal, the employee will receive $6,000 and agree to retire in just over two years and drop her claim of workplace discrimination on the basis of her age and disability filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last year, the Evanston Review reported.

Ramona Nitzschke, then a 55-year-old Morton Grove resident, filed a complaint with the federal agency last December. It alleges she has worked for the college since 1986, according to the Review. Currently she is a department assistant for human resources at the school.

Nitzschke alleged that her hours were cut and her medical benefits were reduced. As part of the agreement, the Review reported, she will receive unspecified workplace accommodations and entered a binding agreement to resign by July 2020.

The settlement "provides for Ms. Nitzschke’s dismissal of her complaint and waiver of all claims against the College in exchange for a monetary settlement payment, workplace accommodations, and a notice of retirement," according to the agenda of the board's April 17 meeting.

Oakton trustees unanimously approved the settlement agreement with no discussion or public comment at that meeting, according to the Review.

Neither the college nor the complainant offered any further comment on the agreement.