Allen Theatres to pay $250,000 in age discrimination settlement
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that Allen Theatres will pay $250,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit.
The commission's lawsuit against the company alleges that it forced Abby Parrish to retire in September 2020 because he was 73 years old. Parrish had managed the theater in Clovis, New Mexico for 31 years.
"The company refused to allow him to work in March 2021 when the theaters reopened after COVID," a spokesperson for the commission explained. "The agency also alleged Allen Theatres had a companywide discriminatory compensation policy that stopped paying for Parrish’s family health insurance coverage because he was over 65 years old and eligible for Medicare."
The commission alleges the same policy caused the theatre to pay Charles Green, director of IT in Las Cruces, less compensation. Green was over 65 at the time.
"This alleged conduct violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which prohibits discrimination in the hiring, firing, and compensation of employees 40 years old or older because of their age," the spokesperson explained. "The EEOC filed suit against Allen Theatres (Civil Action No. 1:24-cv-00965-KWR-KK), in the U.S. District Court of New Mexico."
The settlement also requires Allen Theatres to offer health insurance coverage under the company's health benefit plan to current employees over the age of 65.
