Court rules 'young star' comment doesn't prove age discrimination in pandemic layoff
A federal appeals court ruled last month that calling a younger colleague a "young star" and planning for someone's eventual retirement doesn't equal age discrimination.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down the decision on January 28, affirming that Firelands Regional Medical Center acted lawfully when it terminated 58-year-old nurse practitioner Laura Obergefell during a pandemic-driven workforce reduction.
The case offers a roadmap for HR professionals navigating the tricky terrain of layoffs, succession planning, and supervisor comments that employees might later claim as evidence of bias.
Obergefell spent 12 years at the hospital's Wound Care Center in Sandusky, Ohio, before losing her job in April 2020. She was among 20 employees cut loose as COVID-19 decimated the hospital's finances. But Obergefell believed age, not economics, drove her termination.
Her suspicions centered on her supervisor, Tonia Copsey, the director of nurses at the Wound Care Center. Copsey had been vocal about her plans to hire Jenna Molnar, a 29-year-old nurse she dubbed a "young star." When Molnar finished nurse practitioner school, Copsey told the staff she intended to bring her on board.
Obergefell questioned what the center would do with three nurse practitioners. Copsey's response became central to the lawsuit. She said she needed someone ready to step in when Obergefell retired. Obergefell...
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