LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reached an agreement with Rental Pro that will see the company pay $37,000 over allegations it violated age discrimination laws.
Rental Pro is a rental company for miscellaneous equipment headquartered in Somerset, Kentucky, with locations in Hazard, London and Pikeville. It allegedly terminated the employment of Ronald Johnson, 52, due to his age. The lawsuit claims the company’s owner sought “younger and peppier” employees and wanted to bring in “young blood.”
Alleged acts of this nature violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits discrimination based on age. The EEOC first attempted to reach a prelitigation settlement, but when that failed, it filed the lawsuit.
"As the statute makes clear, discrimination on the basis of a person's age is a violation of federal law," Laurie Young, regional attorney for EEOC's Indianapolis District, which includes Louisville, Detroit and Cincinnati, said. "Employers should make employment decisions based on a person's ability to do the job, and not on myths and stereotypes."
In addition to the monetary relief, which is back pay for Johnson, the consent decree provides injunctive relief including anti-discrimination training, reporting of discrimination claims, notice posting and a ban on any future discrimination or retaliation.