According to a suit filed in a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois, Nicole Sullivan, 22, began work at the SoHo Apple Store in 2008. In April of 2009, she took a leave of absence due to a nervous disorder, and sought the services of a psychiatrist.

Sullivan was given disability leave through an independent company, and was reportedly assured by the third party that the details of her medical condition would not be released to Apple. However, when Sullivan returned to work in August of 2009 after she was cleared by a psychiatrist, she said it was "obvious" to her that the store's employees, and "especially" its human resources director, were aware of her medical condition, notes "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).

In her four month leave, Sullivan's job was replaced, and she was reportedly told that she would remain in a "holding pattern" until proper work was found for her. The lawsuit says she applied for several jobs at the store, but was denied for that job because "there were questions about her mental stability."

Through the Law Offices of Richard D. Grossman in Chicago, Sullivan is seeking appropriate back pay, front pay, employment benefits and other compensation that was denied or lost. She also believes she is entitled to US$300,000 in punitive damages for alleged discrimination and violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.