The University of Kansas will pay $144,000 and furnish other relief to settle a federal retaliation lawsuit related to the firing of an employee for reporting age discrimination.
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleges the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) fired a manager in its Information Resources Department after he complained that his boss had directed supervisors and managers to recruit and hire young people, particularly millennials. The manager noted that a highly qualified 60-year-old applicant for a computer programmer position was rejected solely because of her age.
Such alleged conduct violates the anti-retaliation provisions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which prohibits employers from taking adverse employment actions against individuals who engage in protected activity, including opposing what they believe to be unlawful age discrimination against themselves, other employees or job applicants. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in September 2019 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. University of Kansas, Civil Action No. 2:19-cv-02540), in U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
The three-year consent decree settling the suit, entered by Judge Daniel D. Crabtree, requires the University of Kansas to pay lost wages and liquidated damages to the manager.
In addition, the university and KUMC will take key steps to prevent discrimination or retaliation against management employees in the future. Actions include implementing and maintaining stronger non-discrimination and non-retaliation policies and procedures; providing detailed training about age discrimination and retaliation to management, human resources, and other employees; issuing clear guidance to employees prohibiting age disÂcrimination and retaliation; and reporting complaints about age discrimination and retaliation to the EEOC.
Source: EEOC
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