Lefever v Primedia, Inc.
Primedia Employees Claim Age Discrimination
A nationwide class action has been filed in Georgia against publishing giant Primedia, Inc. and its subsidiary Haas Publishing Companies, Inc. The action is brought on behalf of all employees who are beyond the age of 40 and have been either terminated from employment, or forced to resign, as a result of age discrimination. The action is brought under the federal Age Discrimination Employment Act and seeks compensatory and statutory damages as well as injunctive and declaratory relief.
According to the employees, Primedia and its subsidiaries have a national policy of forcing older employees out of their positions, despite positive employment histories and satisfactory productivity. The employees claim that it is commonplace for Primedia to replace them once they reach the age of 50 as part of a corporate policy to "youthen" the Primedia workforce. The employees allege that typically an employee 50 or over is placed on what is known as an "action plan" where job improvement is requested by Primedia. This, according to the employees, is generally followed by termination or forced resignation--whether or not the employee satisfies Primedia's requested performance improvement. According to the employees, being placed on an "action plan" is a direct result of their age, not their job performance or experience. The employees allege that after their termination or resignation they are replaced by substantially younger individuals by Primedia. Typically, the employees allege, these replacements are less qualified and less experienced than the outgoing employee they replace.
Under the federal Age Discrimination Employment Act, anyone over the age of 40 is a member of a protected class. The employees claim that Primedia's actions have affected a substantial number of employees as the company, the largest publisher of special interest magazines in the U.S., employs over 5,100 individuals.
