A federal judge has ruled that a subsidiary of BASF Corporation illegally retaliated against an Illinois employee who declined to give up his right to file a discrimination charge. A complaint alleging that many other employees were forced to give up that right could be headed for trial.

Judge Michael McCuskey wrote in a May 23 opinion that Cognis Corporation illegally fired Steven Whitlow after he declined to be bound by an agreement that forbid a discrimination charge. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission sued for him.

Whitlow was fired in 2007 from a company site in Kankakee.

The judge declined to rule in the case of other employees who signed agreements but weren't fired. That could go to trial.

BASF did not respond to a request for comment.