A Louisiana federal judge has refused to grant a summary judgment to DuPont in the case brought by two former employees who allege age bias led to their firings. The judge decided that a jury should determine whether age discrimination or safety violations were the true reasons behind the terminations of Chad St. Pierre and Patrick Wright, who are in their 40s and 50s.
Judge’s Decision on Summary Judgment
U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson denied the motion for summary judgment from DuPont Specialty Products USA LLC in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act suit filed by St. Pierre and Wright. DuPont contended that age discrimination was not a factor in its decision, arguing instead that the employees were dismissed for violating safety protocols by cutting locks on breaker boxes at the LaPlace, Louisiana, facility.
However, St. Pierre and Wright, both long-term employees with 25 years at the company, claim the investigation into their actions was biased and that younger workers replaced them. While Judge Jackson found many of the plaintiffs’ arguments unconvincing, he noted that questions remain about whether Mark Schorr, the reliability and maintenance manager who led the investigation, was motivated by bias.
DuPont Workers’ Age Bias Suit Headed to Trial : Key Issues and Evidence
“Plaintiffs’ version of events is disputed, of course, and DuPont will have ample opportunity to challenge it at trial,” Judge Jackson stated. “But at this stage, the court finds that the disputed evidence regarding Schorr’s role gives rise to an inference of pretext.”
