EEOC Sues United Precision Products Company for Age Discrimination

DETROIT - United Precision Products Co., Inc., a supplier of aerospace components based in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, violated federal law by refusing to hire a qualified older applicant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the EEOC lawsuit, a 64-year-old, qualified applicant was referred by a staffing agency for a vacant position with United Precision.  During the interview with United Precision, the company's plant superintendent then asked the applicant his age and date of high school graduation, which the applicant reluctantly supplied. The superintendent also asked for and received the applicant's driver's license and twice commented about how good he looked for his age. United Precision rejected the applicant for the position, claiming the superintendent believed the applicant lacked the commitment to work long-term. When the staffing agency sent an email reassuring the superintendent the applicant intended to work for at least another 10 years, the superintendent did not respond.

Such alleged conduct violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The EEOC filed suit (Case No. 2:20-cv-10930 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process.

The EEOC is seeking injunctive relief prohibiting the employer from discriminating against applicants based on age, as well as monetary relief, including backpay and liquidated damages, and other relief for the applicant.

"Refusing to hire an applicant because of age is a textbook violation of the ADEA," said Dale Price, trial attorney for the Detroit Field Office. "The EEOC is pursuing this matter because federal law provides specific protections to members of our workforce who are age 40 or older."

The Detroit Field Office is part of the Indianapolis District Office, which oversees Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of Ohio.  The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment dis­crim­ination. More information is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.   Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.