Crab Knight, a seafood restaurant located in Daytona Beach, Florida, has agreed to pay $30,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit brought against them by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The lawsuit, filed by the EEOC, alleged that Crab Knight violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) by unlawfully terminating an employee due to her age.
According to the EEOC, the restaurant’s kitchen manager repeatedly made discriminatory remarks about the employee’s age, suggesting they needed someone younger to replace her. This led to the employee’s dismissal, which triggered the EEOC’s involvement. After an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the issue through pre-litigation negotiations, the EEOC pursued legal action.
The settlement includes $30,000 in compensation for the employee, but also requires Crab Knight to take corrective measures to prevent future discrimination. Under the terms of the settlement, Crab Knight will revise its age discrimination policy and provide annual training for all managers, supervisors, and human resources personnel. The restaurant must also display notices to all employees detailing how to report any form of discrimination either internally or to the EEOC. Additionally, any future complaints must be reported to the EEOC during the five-year period of the settlement decree.
The EEOC emphasized the growing issue of age discrimination in the workplace and praised Crab Knight for taking steps to address it. Evangeline Hawthorne, EEOC Miami District Director, noted the importance of protecting the rights of older workers, while Kristen Foslid, regional attorney for the Miami District Office, commended Crab Knight’s efforts to revise its policies and provide employee training.
This case highlights the legal consequences of age discrimination and serves as a reminder to businesses that outdated assumptions about older employees’ capabilities are unacceptable.
For more information on age discrimination, visit the EEOC’s website at https://www.eeoc.gov/age-discrimination.
