CHICAGO — The owners of a Rockford rehabilitation care center have been hit with a class action lawsuit, accusing them of violating an Illinois privacy law by requiring employees to scan their fingerprint when punching in and out of work shifts.

Toyya Young, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a class action complaint June 27 in Cook County Circuit Court against Damen Healthcare Group LLC and AMBD Property LLC, doing business as Amberwood Care Centre LLC, alleging violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

According to the complaint, Young was employed by the defendant and during the course of her employment she was required to clock in and clock out using her fingerprint. The plaintiff alleges she was unaware that Amberwood Care Center was storing her biometric information and she had not given her permission or consented to this practice.

The plaintiff said she later discovered that the defendant had been storing the information without her permission in violation of the law.

Young seeks trial by jury, and damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation, plus interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief. She is represented by attorneys Brandon M. Wise and Paul Lesko of Pfeiffer Wolf, Carr & Kane APLC in St. Louis.

Cook County Circuit Court case number 2019-CH-07729