Garrison Law is proud to announce that Partner Stephen Fitzgerald recently secured a $2,495,992 arbitration award on behalf of a client in an age discrimination case involving a Fortune 100 media company.
Steve represented a 56-year-old executive who had built a successful career with the company, consistently delivering significant operational improvements and earning recognition from senior leadership through generous bonuses and equity awards.
Despite her strong performance record, the executive’s work environment changed following the arrival of a new supervisor from outside the company. The supervisor began making repeated comments about retirement, questioning when she planned to retire and what she intended to do afterward. The supervisor subsequently reassigned several of her responsibilities to a younger, less-qualified manager.
During a company-wide reorganization, the supervisor claimed that the executive’s position had been restructured. Although she was invited to interview for the position alongside the younger manager, the process ultimately resulted in her termination and the younger manager assuming her role.
Because the employer required executives to sign a mandatory arbitration agreement, the case proceeded through confidential arbitration rather than a public court trial.
During the three-day arbitration hearing, Steve cross-examined six witnesses presented by the employer, who maintained that the termination resulted from a legitimate restructuring rather than age discrimination.
Following the hearing and submission of post-hearing briefs, the Arbitrator concluded that Steve had demonstrated his client’s age was a motivating factor in the decision to terminate her employment, in violation of the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act.
The Arbitrator awarded $2,495,992 in damages, including back pay, future lost earnings (front pay), compensation for emotional distress, and attorney’s fees.
This significant award represents a hard-fought victory for Steve’s client and underscores the importance of holding employers accountable for discriminatory employment decisions.
Garrison Law congratulates Steve Fitzgerald and his client on this outstanding result.