Legal Win: Judge Orders Job Reinstatement of Local 73 Member After Unjust Firing

An Illinois Education Labor Relations Board judge ruled that SEIU Local 73 member and Oak Park River Forest High School District 200 steward Bryce Malhiot was discriminated against and terminated in retaliation for union activity after a legal battle that proceeded for over a year.

The judge also ordered OPRF to reinstate Malhiot and make him whole “for the loss of any pay or benefits” in the September 8 ruling.

“For me, this isn’t just a personal victory. It’s a reminder of why unions matter. When an individual worker is facing an employer with far greater resources, having a union willing to stand beside you and fight for you can make all the difference,” Malhiot said.

Malhiot started work at OPRF in 2011, and he became a full-time teacher’s assistant in the special education department in 2013. He was terminated in January 2025, and SEIU Local 73 filed an unfair labor practice charge against OPRF on March 21, 2025.

In the ruling, Administrative Law Judge Steven Shonder Jr. found that OPRF’s attempt to use the ADA process to terminate Malhiot was retaliatory and pretextual.

“I have never felt more vindicated than I did when I learned of the Judges recommended decision. The last two years have been extraordinarily difficult for me and my family, but through it all, SEIU Local 73 stood behind me and made sure I had the opportunity to tell my story and have the evidence heard.

I cannot say enough about Matt Carpenter. His attention to detail in my case was incredible. Matt knew the facts, the documents, the timeline, and the smallest details that ultimately mattered. He put an extraordinary amount of work into my case and never lost sight of what happened to me. Having him in my corner gave me confidence that my case was being fought as hard as it possibly could be,” Malhiot said.

Matt Carpenter serves as General Counsel for SEIU Local 73, and he was joined on the case by Senior Staff Attorney Alicia Weber and Hearing Officer Adriana Alvarez.