A former executive has filed a lawsuit alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination against a prominent wine company. Michael Stein, the plaintiff, lodged his complaint against Terlato Wine Group, Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on September 19, 2024.
Michael Stein, who had been employed by Terlato since 2010 and most recently served as Vice President of Sales for the Northeast Region, claims he was abruptly terminated on March 31, 2023. According to Stein's complaint, his dismissal was part of a calculated effort by Terlato to deny him a well-earned bonus during what the company itself termed a "Strong Bonus Payout" year. The suit alleges that this action was not only discriminatory but also violated several laws including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, and Connecticut Wage Statute.
Stein's tenure at Terlato was marked by numerous accolades and promotions. Starting as a Regional Manager in California and Hawaii in 2010, he quickly rose through the ranks due to his stellar performance. By 2017, he had been promoted to Vice President of Sales for the Northeast Region after initially declining the role in 2015 to avoid uprooting his family. His leadership resulted in significant revenue growth and multiple awards for both himself and his team members.
However, despite his consistent high performance and loyalty—evidenced by moving his family across the country for his job—Stein was informed on February 17, 2023, that his position would be eliminated due to a reduction in force (RIF). This decision came just before bonus payouts were scheduled. After being terminated at age fifty-seven, Stein discovered that a younger colleague with significantly less experience had been promoted to a newly created position that encompassed all of his former responsibilities.
The complaint further alleges that Terlato's actions were part of a broader pattern of age discrimination within the company. According to Stein’s filing, 62.5% of those terminated under the RIF were over forty years old. Moreover, Terlato allegedly violated federal law by failing to disclose required information about employees who were considered but not selected for termination.
In addition to age discrimination claims, Stein accuses Terlato of post-termination retaliation. After expressing intent through legal counsel to file an EEOC charge regarding age discrimination, Stein claims Terlato revoked its severance agreement offer without prior notice—a move he argues was retaliatory.
Furthermore, Stein asserts that Terlato failed to pay him his full earned bonus for fiscal year 2023. Despite promises from upper management about strong bonus payouts and historical bonuses exceeding thirty percent of his salary, Stein received only seventy percent of what he believes he is owed.
Stein seeks economic damages totaling no less than $319,627.51 under both federal and state employment laws along with non-economic damages amounting to at least $30,000 under Connecticut law. He also demands twice the amount of unpaid wages as permitted by Connecticut’s Wage Statute plus attorney’s fees and other costs associated with prosecuting this action.
Representing Michael Stein are attorneys Lema Khorshid (ARDC No. 6283237), Vincent P. Formica Jr., (ARDC No. 6319168), and Madeleine H. Morris (ARDC No. 6342604) from Fuksa Khorshid LLC based in Chicago.