For more than 20 years, Sgt. David Mueller has served and protected the city of Joliet as a police officer.
But the department veteran says he has been discriminated against because of his ongoing military service.
“I feel like administration didn’t have my back,” he told NBC 5. “I just don’t understand why this is happening but it hasn’t happened before.”
Mueller filed a federal lawsuit against the city and certain members of its police department for not paying him in 2016, when the National Guard called Mueller to serve on its counter drug task force.
Joliet officials said Wednesday the city is aware of the lawsuit and has "engaged private counsel." They declined to comment further.
Mueller’s Hinsdale lawyer says her client’s employer has violated the law.
“The city of Joliet did not provide him with that pay differential, did not provide him with the benefit time, in fact required him to burn what time he did have and he also took a hit on his pension,” attorney Heidi Karr Sleper said.
Local
Mueller says back in 2001 he went on military leave for 10 months and received the proper pay and benefits from the city.
But this time, he says, a city official accused him of “f-ing over the department” and “double-dipping" on his “pay.
“There were certain individuals on the department that supported me, and that’s why I am sitting here today,” Mueller said.
He says he felt he had no choice but to file this lawsuit, not just to seek justice for himself, but also anyone else in the same position.
"I feel it has to be done because policy has to be changed to protect those that are in the National Guard and reserves,” he said.
