Minnesota Federal Court Allows Elderly Worker’s Claims That She Was Fired For Filing For Workers’ Compensation Benefits To Proceed
Following a 70-year old worker’s termination by an assisted-living facility, she alleged that she was terminated for seeking workers’ compensation benefits, and that she was discriminated against on the basis of age. The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota has allowed her claims to proceed, denying the defendant’s summary judgment motion. The court pointed out that construing the facts in her favor, the employer knew she had suffered an injury at work and had stated that she could be fired for filing an appeal of a denial of workers’ compensation benefits. The court found enough evidence that a jury could find a direct causal link between her termination and her application for workers’ compensation benefits, and enough evidence to support her age discrimination claims.
