Age-bias lawsuit advances

A federal judge on Wednesday set discovery and motion deadlines in an age-discrimination suit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Alpine School District.

During a hearing, U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins said he expected that discovery between the EEOC and the district be completed by Oct. 31 of this year and that motions for summary judgment on claims be filed before Nov. 4.

The suit, filed last September, claims that 50-year-old teacher Sara Mead and an unidentified class of other employees age 40 and older were either fired, never hired or harassed at Geneva Elementary School in Orem because of their age.

The district has denied those claims.

The suit states that Mead and others were harassed by comments made by school district administrators and that older teachers were passed over for teaching position transfers and denied professional development training because of a preference for younger teachers. Older teachers had to pay for professional training out of their own pocket, the suit states.

The EEOC claims the district is in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

Jenkins also scheduled a pre-trial conference for Jan. 23, 2009. At that time, Jenkins asked attorneys on both sides to prepare rosters of witnesses and exhibits as well as to be prepared to argue legal theories and facts in the case.

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E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com