Adams v. Employers Insurance Company of Wausau

**Adams v. Employers Insurance Company of Wausau** This case involved former employees who were wrongfully terminated from Sprinkmann Sons Corporation. After their employer went out of business, the workers tried to sue the company's insurance carriers directly to get compensation for their lost jobs. The workers argued they should be able to collect damages from the insurance companies since their original employer was no longer around to pay them. The Illinois appeals court ruled against the workers. The court found that Illinois law does not allow employees to sue insurance companies directly - they can only sue their actual employer. Additionally, the court noted that the original employer, Sprinkmann Sons Corporation, had been dissolved for more than five years, which exceeded the legal time limit for bringing such claims under state business law. **What this means for workers:** If your employer goes out of business, you generally cannot pursue wrongful termination claims against their insurance companies. You must file any legal claims against your employer within specific time limits, and those time limits continue running even after a company dissolves. Workers who believe they were wrongfully terminated should act quickly and consult with employment attorneys about their options before their employer becomes unreachable or time limits expire.