Additional Coverage:
- A 78-year-old receptionist fired a month after she was recognized as a top employee wins $78,000 in age-discrimination settlement (newsbreak.com)
In a notable case of workplace discrimination, a retirement community in Georgia has agreed to a substantial settlement after being accused of age and disability discrimination. Covenant Woods Retirement Community and its owner will pay $78,000 to a former employee, a 78-year-old receptionist, who was dismissed from her position following hospitalization for high blood pressure, an incident the company used to question her capability to fulfill her job responsibilities.
The legal action was initiated by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after the retirement community fired the receptionist, who had been a stalwart employee since 2007 and was celebrated as one of the Employees of the Year just a month before her dismissal. Despite her commendable service, management had previously nudged her towards retirement, particularly after she went on medical leave at the age of 74.
Prior to her termination, the receptionist was given several alternates including reducing her workload to one day a week, moving to a different department, or continuing as a volunteer without pay. Eventually, citing concerns about her ability to effectively carry out her job functions, particularly in light of her recent health scare, the company chose to terminate her employment.
To resolve the allegations of discrimination, Covenant Woods and its owner will disburse $50,000 in compensatory damages and an additional $28,000 in back wages to the aggrieved former employee. This case sheds light on a growing issue in the American workplace—age discrimination, an increasingly prominent concern as the demographic of the US workforce ages, with nearly 11 million workers aged 65 or older as of 2023.
This settlement serves as a poignant reminder of the legal and ethical obligations employers have to treat all employees fairly, irrespective of age or health challenges, and underlines the importance of fostering a workplace environment that values diversity and inclusivity, including for older employees.