On Monday, a case brought by a former employee earlier this year was removed to federal court by Quest Diagnostics. The plaintiff’s January complaint, originally filed in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County, claims that she had been targeted for her advanced age and received unfair treatment because of it.
Quest Diagnostics is a multinational corporation that provides “clinical laboratory and medical testing services for such things as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, neurological disorders, COVID-19, as well as employment and court- ordered drug testing.”
The complaint stated that her supervisor “seemingly took an immediate dislike to (her), as well as to other, older members of the laboratory team.” While he would build relationships with other younger members of the team that were under the age of 40. This would include planning evening events with members of the staff that excluded the plaintiff.
The plaintiff is claiming that the manner in which she was being targeted was by receiving a heightened level of criticism of her work that was not extended to other younger members of the staff that were delivering the same level of results.
According to the complaint, the supervisor had shown a history of dislike of older staff members when he had fired a 10-year veteran technologist and had forced the resignation of a technologist of over 20 years experience.
Ultimately, the plaintiff claims that she was finally fired out of her position after complaining to Human Resources of her unfair treatment and that her supervisor was made aware of such complaints made against him.
The defendant is facing two counts, the first is the disparate treatment to Quest Diagnostics, contrary to the age discrimination in employment act, the second is retaliation and retaliatory discharge under the age discrimination in employment act.
The plaintiff is being represented by the Law Offices of Christopher R. Rau.
