AT&T reached a deal Wednesday to resolve a former assistant vice president’s suit alleging he was fired because he’s a 58-year-old white man, according to a filing in Georgia federal court. The agreement comes in Joseph DiBenedetto’s case, which claimed age discrimination in his termination from AT&T Services Inc.
AT&T Exec’s Age Bias Suit : Settlement Reached
Joseph DiBenedetto filed a stipulation of dismissal, informing the court that he had agreed to end his last remaining Age Discrimination in Employment Act claim against AT&T Services Inc. This undisclosed settlement came before the court could rule on the telecommunications company’s motion for summary judgment. In May, DiBenedetto had already dismissed his race and gender discrimination claims.
The parties reached a tentative settlement in April, leading the court to halt proceedings until July 1, per court records. DiBenedetto’s suit, which centered on age bias, has now been concluded.
AT&T Exec’s Age Bias Suit : AT&T’s Defense
AT&T moved to dismiss the suit in September, arguing that DiBenedetto’s age and race had no bearing on the decision to fire him. Instead, the company cited poor leadership and teamwork skills as the reasons for his termination. When AT&T decided to consolidate DiBenedetto’s position with another, it retained a different 58-year-old white man with a better performance history.
