Employer who fired 78-year-old must now pay her $78,000

The usability of a status installation successful Columbus, Georgia, will person to salary $78,000 to a receptionist to settee an property and disablement favoritism suit revenge by nan Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Shirley Noble was 78 erstwhile she was terminated from her occupation astatine Covenant Woods Senior Living successful February of 2022 — 1 period aft being honored arsenic a 2021 worker of nan twelvemonth — according to a lawsuit filed by nan agency successful national court. 

Noble, who had worked for Covenant for 14 years, returned to her occupation aft a little hospitalization to find a new, younger worker seated astatine her desk, nan EEOC alleged. At a gathering pinch her head nan pursuing day, Noble was questioned astir whether she needed to proceed moving and really agelong she saw herself continuing successful nan workforce, according to nan complaint. 

Noble expressed a desire to proceed moving for 2 aliases 3 much years, but nan adjacent time was told she was being fto spell owed to a nonaccomplishment of assurance successful her abilities, pinch her hospitalization cited arsenic a interest that led to nan decision, nan EEOC alleged.

"Employers person a work to measure an employee's capacity without respect to age, if nan worker is 40 and over, and without respect to an existent aliases perceived disability," Marcus Keegan, location lawyer for nan EEOC's Atlanta territory office, said successful a statement connected Tuesday. 

Covenant Woods is owned by Chattanooga, Tennessee-based BrightSpace Senior Living, which operates a fistful of status communities successful 4 states. 

"We astatine Covenant Woods and BrightSpace Senior Living resolved this lawsuit owed to nan costs of litigating it," BrightSpace Chief Financial Officer Brian Hendricks said successful a statement. "We do not admit wrongdoing aliases discriminatory behaviour arsenic portion of this resolution. Covenant Woods and BrightSpace Senior Living stay committed to compliance pinch each favoritism and labour and employment laws."