Employment law news: Texas jury returns $992,500 age discrimination verdict

2009-09-10 14:16:21 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Employment Law, Featured, Justice News Flash)

Host International an El Paso Airport contractor loses age discrimination lawsuit

Host International, Inc., was ordered to pay close to $1 million in damages after firing a former restaurant manager in an age discrimination lawsuit. Host International is contracted by El Paso International Airport to provide food and beverage services.

Texas employment law attorneys recover million dollar jury verdict against Host International, Inc., an El Paso International Airport food and beverage service.

El Paso, TX–U.S. District Court jury, in Texas, returned a $992,500 verdict to Texas employment law attorneys representing a former Host International restaurant manager in an age discrimination lawsuit. The El Paso Times reported, the 12 member, unanimous jury verdict was delivered after a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo, on Thursday, September 3, 2009. According to the Texas employment law lawyers representing the plaintiff, Fred J. Jackson, Host International acquired Delaware North, a restaurant contractor who held the El Paso International Airport contract, in 2007. Jackson, the food and beverage services general manager for Delaware North since 1990, was hired by Host International. Some nine weeks later Host International fired the longtime 57 year old food and beverage general manage.

The age discrimination lawsuit, filed by Texas employment law attorneys, claimed Host International cut Jackson’s wages based on his age of 57 and informed Jackson higher salaries were for “younger talented people” as reported by the El Paso Times. Texas court documents stated the El Paso restaurant contracting company discriminated against Jackson based on his age. Attorneys representing Host International asserted Jackson was terminated because of poor work performance. Apparently, the U.S. District Court jury saw differently; Under Jackson’s management, the El Paso International Airport’s food and beverage service division was rated at the top of the nation’s customer service in smaller airports by acclaimed J.D. Power and Associates, in 2006. After Jackson was fired in 2007 the food and beverage services placement in the same category of rankings fell to 11th place in 2008. Jackson was also the former president of the El Paso Restaurant Association and served on the Texas Restaurant Association’s state board of directors until January 2009 when he resigned to run for political office.

Texas employment law attorneys alerts by legal news reporter Heather L. Ryan.