Post by Logan on Jun 22, 2016 7:31:45 GMT -6
Portland jury awards $1.2 million to aging Daimler engineer who says he was cast aside like old toy
A Portland jury Tuesday afternoon awarded $1.2 million to a 57-year-old engineer who was fired from Daimler Trucks North America in Portland -- he contended because of his age.
Josef Loczi had worked at the Swan Island headquarters of the nation's largest truck maker for 16 years and always received positive performance reviews, he testified. During the nearly 11-day trial in Multnomah County Circuit Court, CEO Martin Daum testified that Loczi was cut from the workforce not because of his age, but because of his performance.
Loczi's attorneys argued that Daimler illegally targeted Loczi because it was concerned about its aging workforce and wanted fresh, younger workers. Loczi testified that he felt like he'd been punched in the gut on Nov. 7, 2013, when he was called into a meeting and told his position was being eliminated.
Loczi said he was told he had until the end of the year to find another job within the company, and that he pleaded for two extensions. He said he was ultimately terminated on Feb. 14, 2014, after applying for 16 internal positions and receiving no offers. Loczi said on his last day of work, he was asked to sign a waiver stating he wouldn't try to work for the company again.
Read more: www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/06/portland_jury_awards_12_millio.html
A Portland jury Tuesday afternoon awarded $1.2 million to a 57-year-old engineer who was fired from Daimler Trucks North America in Portland -- he contended because of his age.
Josef Loczi had worked at the Swan Island headquarters of the nation's largest truck maker for 16 years and always received positive performance reviews, he testified. During the nearly 11-day trial in Multnomah County Circuit Court, CEO Martin Daum testified that Loczi was cut from the workforce not because of his age, but because of his performance.
Loczi's attorneys argued that Daimler illegally targeted Loczi because it was concerned about its aging workforce and wanted fresh, younger workers. Loczi testified that he felt like he'd been punched in the gut on Nov. 7, 2013, when he was called into a meeting and told his position was being eliminated.
Loczi said he was told he had until the end of the year to find another job within the company, and that he pleaded for two extensions. He said he was ultimately terminated on Feb. 14, 2014, after applying for 16 internal positions and receiving no offers. Loczi said on his last day of work, he was asked to sign a waiver stating he wouldn't try to work for the company again.
Read more: www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/06/portland_jury_awards_12_millio.html