A former employee has filed a lawsuit alleging age discrimination and retaliation against his previous employer. Paul Dowling, the plaintiff, lodged his complaint on December 9, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Fairplay, Inc., claiming violations under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
Paul Dowling's complaint outlines a troubling narrative of alleged workplace discrimination and harassment based on age. Dowling, who worked as a meat cutter for Fairplay, Inc., claims that he was subjected to different terms and conditions compared to younger employees. According to the lawsuit, this discriminatory treatment began around 2023 when a new assistant manager named Claudio was transferred to Dowling's location. Claudio allegedly made derogatory remarks about Dowling's speed and moved him to less favorable positions within the company. The situation escalated when Dowling lost two full-time day shifts to an 18-year-old employee with less experience, despite Dowling's seniority.
Dowling further alleges that age-based harassment was prevalent in his workplace environment. He recounts an incident where a coworker relayed a message from another supervisor referring to him as "grandpa," which he interpreted as an offensive reference to his age. Despite reporting these incidents to corporate management and being promised a meeting that never occurred, no remedial action was taken by Fairplay, Inc.
The culmination of these events led to what Dowling describes as an unlawful termination on September 1, 2024. He asserts that after voicing concerns about the discriminatory treatment and making complaints regarding age-related comments, he was removed from the work schedule entirely while younger employees were retained.
Dowling is seeking various forms of relief from the court including back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages, loss of benefits compensation, and coverage for reasonable attorney fees and costs. His lawsuit also demands front pay and any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Paul Dowling is Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while details about Fairplay Inc.'s legal representation remain undisclosed at this stage. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:24-cv-12606.