71-year old Man Files Discrimination Suit Against Employer

October 12, 2008

San Francisco, CA – A 70-year-old man who worked for Bay Area Catholic Charities, a non-profit organization that helps seniors, filed a discrimination lawsuit after he was fired and replaced by someone less qualified than him and half his age.

According to the EEOC, the non-profit social services provider had been in violation of federal law against discrimination after firing Gilbert Brigham, a case manager advocate for seniors. Brigham was told that he was being let go because of budgetary constraints.

Brigham’s replacement did not meet the minimum requirement of four years experience for the job. Brigham, on the other hand, holds a master’s degree in Public Administration, had worked as a case manager for other non-profit senior-assistance institutes, and had almost completed five years of working with Catholic Charities.

Based on the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, it is prohibited to discriminate against people aged 40 and above.

Catholic Charities disputed the charges through a prepared statement, which indicated several points. They said that Brigham was a part-time employee who declined a full-time position when part-time positions were being removed. They also said that the employee who they have chosen to replace Brigham with was a master’s level social worker who had extensive experience. The replacement was also willing to work full-time when Brigham wasn’t.