Federal Judge Rules Former Baseball Coach Can Pursue Wage Claim Against Northwestern

A federal judge ruled Monday, June 16, 2025, that Adrian Santiago, a former volunteer baseball coach at Northwestern University, may proceed with his wage claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL). Santiago, who is represented by Esbrook Law, PC, alleges that he took on the duties of three full-time coaching roles while working in a toxic and abusive environment, and was paid $10,000 for his work, raising questions about whether he was, in fact, an employee. “The economic reality is that Northwestern was paying Santiago for essential work that they needed staff to perform,” the court said. David Pustilnik, partner at Esbrook Law, told Law.com that his team is pleased they can continue to pursue the FLSA and IMWL claims and “are confident in the strength of our case and look forward to pursuing justice through the legal process.”