Company fired 57-year-old over his age after he had heart attack at work, feds say
A security firm owes thousands in emotional distress damages to a former employee who was fired over his age and health condition, according to the federal agency in charge of enforcing laws against workplace discrimination.
The man was 57 when he lost his job while working for Maximum Security NYC Inc., a company based in Queens, New York, a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says.
In December 2020, he had a heart attack during his shift and was hospitalized, according to the EEOC. He worked at hotels in New York City as a fire life safety director and was responsible for helping fire departments evacuate guests during a fire or emergency, according to the lawsuit.
When he “returned to work, his supervisor repeatedly told him that he should retire already given his age and heart attack, and then explicitly fired him for the same reasons,” the EEOC said in a May 13 news release.
The agency accused Maximum Security of age and disability discrimination by firing him.
Now, Maximum Security has agreed to pay the man $22,500 in damages to settle the lawsuit, the EEOC announced.
The firm and attorneys representing the company didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on May 20.
“Age and disability discrimination are unjust and unlawful,” Daniel Seltzer, a trial attorney in the EEOC’s New York District Office, said in a statement. “An employer cannot rely on stereotypes or fears to deny employees the opportunity to work.”
Age discrimination violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, while disability discrimination violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A consent decree that resolves the lawsuit requires Maximum Security to issue a new anti-discrimination policy and requires the firm to hold anti-discrimination training for employees, the EEOC said.
The decree also issues “strong injunctions against discrimination based on age or disability and improperly storing employees’ medical records,” the agency said in the news release.
This story was originally published May 20, 2024 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Company fired 57-year-old over his age after he had heart attack at work, feds say."
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