Jury Awards $458K in Lost Wages to Salespersons Fired Because of Age
October 01, 2019
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is touting its win in an age discrimination case. The jury found that the beverage distributor discharged two sales employees on the same day in 2014 because of their ages and awarded a total of about $458,000 in lost wage. The jury also found that the employer acted "willfully" within the meaning of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which will trigger an award of liquidated damages to be determined by the court. The EEOC recounted its evidence at trial, which included that the company's top sales manager "wanted a younger sales force," and that the company thereafter hired much younger salespeople. The employer contended that both employees were not discharged, but had instead voluntarily resigned.
