Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against a downstate bed-and-breakfast that has failed to pay damages directed by the Illinois Human Rights Commission after the Commission determined that it had discriminated against a same-sex couple, according to an Oct. 23 statement.
The commission ordered in November 2016 that Walder Vaculflo Inc.—doing business as TimberCreek Bed and Breakfast in Paxton, Illinois—pay Todd and Mark Wathen damages after ruling that the inn’s refusal to allow the Wathens’ 2011 commitment ceremony there was discriminatory. The commission directed Walder Vacuflo to pay the Wathens $15,000 each in damages, $50,000 in attorneys’ fees and more than $1,200 in additional costs. Walder Vacuflo has not yet complied, and had unsuccessfully attempted to appeal the ruling.
“Discriminating against people on the basis of sexual orientation is against the law,” Madigan said in the statement. “My office is committed to holding businesses accountable if they refuse service to members of the public based on sexual orientation.”
The complaint was filed in the Ford County Circuit Court.