In a striking legal move, a former employee has taken action against his previous employer, alleging age discrimination as the basis for his termination. Jeffrey Snyder filed a complaint on January 15, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against GEA Farm Technologies, Inc., claiming that he was unjustly terminated due to his age.
Jeffrey Snyder, who has been represented by attorney Arthur R. Ehrlich from the Law Offices of Goldman & Ehrlich, asserts that GEA Farm Technologies engaged in discriminatory practices under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. §623 et seq. Snyder's tenure with the company began in 1982 and saw him rise through various positions such as Equipment Segment Manager and Senior Manager Quality, Health, Safety & Environmental. Despite his strong performance record and contributions to significant projects like overseeing facility transitions without incurring penalties for the company, Snyder alleges that he became a target of age-related bias when new management took over.
The complaint details a pattern of behavior from GEA Farm Technologies that included demoting or terminating older employees. This practice allegedly intensified after Siraj K was appointed as Vice President of Operations in February 2022. Snyder recounts instances where he was repeatedly asked about his retirement plans and was instructed to train younger employees to take over his responsibilities—a move he perceives as part of an orchestrated effort to replace him with younger staff.
Snyder's claims are further substantiated by incidents where he was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) despite having consistently received excellent performance ratings and bonuses. He argues that this PIP was baseless and merely served as a pretext for his eventual termination on October 21, 2023. The lawsuit highlights how GEA Farm Technologies' actions have led to Snyder suffering financial losses and emotional distress due to what he believes is willful and malicious conduct by the company.
In seeking justice, Snyder demands actual damages exceeding $300,000 for lost salary and employment benefits along with punitive damages also exceeding $300,000. Additionally, he seeks reinstatement with retroactive salary and benefits or alternatively front pay if reinstatement is not feasible. Attorney fees and costs are also requested as part of the relief sought from the court.
The case is presided over by Judge [Name not provided] under Case No.: 1:25-cv-454. Jeffrey Snyder's legal representation is managed by Arthur R. Ehrlich from Goldman & Ehrlich law firm based in Chicago.