Front pay awards could be huge in paper discrimination suit

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegramm (October 26, 2006) 18 fired workers recently sued the Dallas Morning News for age discrimination. According to the article, the suit, filed Tuesday at U.S. District Court in Dallas, alleges that The News had become a hostile environment for employees over 40, stereotyping them as unable to adapt to new technology or assume multiple job responsibilities.

The Star-Telegram reports that the former workers are seeking back and future wages and benefits, as well as civil penalties for violating the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA. One plaintiff is also seeking $9,200 that the suit claims he was entitled to under the paper’s severance plan.

Plaintiffs' attorney Karen Shropshire of Dallas said that the case could take two years or more to work its way thru the courts.

Economic analysis: The economic damages, especially the front pay or future wages component, could potentially be large if the jury finds in favor of the workers. This is because jobs in the paper industry are relatively had to come by and larger paper publishers tend to pay better wages. In short the workers will more than likely have a relatively difficult time obtaining alternative employment and if they do it will probably be for less than they were previously making. This is one to watch