PHILADELPHIA - A lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania is suing the school for firing him and a colleague in the search for "more energy" from younger employees.
A lawsuit was filed against the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Feb. 7 by plaintiff Mbarek Sryfi, represented by Derek Smith Law Group. The civil action complaint alleges discriminatory conduct by Penn and individuals Heather Sharkey, Christina Frei, Joseph Lowry, and Jeffrey Kallberg.
The case seeks to address alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA).
Sryfi started work at Penn in 2004 as a lecturer of Aribic and was terminated in 2023. He says he was praised for his performance during his nearly two decades at Penn.
He says his replacement, and the replacement of a colleague, were much younger than they were. It is alleged the objective was to hire "younger lecturers" with "more energy."
The defendants include Penn's Trustees and several employees who allegedly held supervisory authority over Sryfi. The lawsuit claims these individuals used their authority to intentionally separate Sryfi from his employment, causing him economic losses among other damages.
Sryfi is represented by Seth Carson.