Workers sue candidate’s campaign after seeking $7.5M settlement

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CHICAGO (AP) — Ten current and former staffers are suing Democratic Illinois governor candidate J.B. Pritzker’s campaign, saying they were harassed and discriminated against because of their race.

The billionaire businessman’s campaign said Wednesday the lawsuit was filed after they rejected a settlement offer to pay $7.5 million in damages.

The African-American and Latino staffers said in the lawsuit filed Tuesday that they were forced to work in unsafe areas and offered “no meaningful opportunity for advancement.”

“This is not true,” says Pritzker.

Running mate Juliana Stratton, who’s African-American, said “we are not afraid to litigate this to the fullest extent of the law.”

The campaign released part of an Oct. 5 settlement offer from the workers’ attorney. It asks for $7.5 million, among other requests, and gives the campaign until Oct. 8 to accept or “our clients will pursue all available legal remedies.”