The suit noted that in June, Joshi was diagnosed with connective tissue disorder, seronegative spondyloarthropathy, degenerative disc and sacroiliac joint disease and chronic pain.

She took time off and when she returned to work a few months later, she received differential treatment, the lawsuit claims.

She was questioned about her alleged role in another employee’s “misrepresentation” to the company and was terminated shortly after this — in October — and after expressing her concerns regarding the Allstate policy, according to the statement of claim.

“This is an important matter because Ms. Joshi is someone who stood by her principles and refused to participate in a practice that clearly discriminated against minorities in Brampton,” said Joshi's lawyer, Andrew Monkhouse, in an email statement. “Instead of taking action to correct the situation, Allstate penalized Ms. Joshi.”

Joshi is claiming more than $600,000 for wrongful dismissal, breach of contract, the loss of wages and benefits, compensation and bonus entitlements and violating the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The lawsuit was filed days before Allstate released its annual Safe Driving Study which analyzes the safest and most dangerous cities in which to drive in Ontario. Brampton ranked 62 out of 64 with the collision frequency at 7.1 per cent per 100 cars.

Last month, the majority Ontario Progressive Conservative government voted down a private members bill by Brampton East MPP Gurratan Singh to end auto insurance postal code discrimination after learning of drivers paying higher rates because of where they live.

A similar bill — Bill 42 — was tabled at Queen’s Park by PC Milton MPP Parm Gill. That bill is still in play.

“While I don’t have enough information to be able to comment on the Ontario Superior Court case in question at this time, I do believe that drivers in Brampton shouldn’t be singled out or treated any differently than drivers anywhere else, simply because of where they live," Singh told The Brampton Guardian Thursday, Dec. 13. "That is why I introduced a bill this year to end automobile insurance discrimination in the GTA, and lower insurance costs for Brampton families.”

— with files from Graeme Frisque

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 5:32 on Thursday, Dec. 13 to include comments from Gurratan Singh and additional comments from Allstate.