Workers in Florida and elsewhere become more vulnerable as they age. It is not uncommon for companies to get rid of older employees, only to replace them with younger, less-experienced personnel. The cost of younger staff is lower and may benefit the company, but they lack the experience of older workers. Workplace discrimination that is based on age, disability, race, religion and gender is prohibited under federal and state law.
A 60-year-old employee of the Department of Revenue in another state recently filed a lawsuit alleging age and disability discrimination. After 30 years of employment by the Internal Revenue Service, the man was appointed as a special agent for the Criminal Tax Investigation Bureau in his state in March last year. According to the complaint, he suffered a stroke while he was at work in June 2015. This caused numbness and limited use of one of his hands along with damage to his vision.
Court documents indicate that the company's HR manager forced the plaintiff to resign last October, stating that he had not successfully completed his probationary period of one year. The man alleges a younger woman who was not disabled was appointed in December to fill the position he vacated. It is further argued that the new employee was less experienced than the plaintiff, with fewer qualifications and a lower level of training.
Pursuing compensation for allegations of workplace discrimination in Florida can be a complicated process and may be best navigated by an experienced employment law attorney. A lawyer can provide guidance and support in the filing of discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. An attorney can also help with determining the level of damage recovery that can be sought.
Source: stltoday.com, "Ex-Missouri tax agent was forced to resign after stroke, lawsuit claims", Oct. 20, 2016