Fired worker accuses Latrobe Steel Co. of age discrimination

A southwestern Pennsylvania man is suing the Latrobe Steel Company over claims that he was discriminated against because of his age in violation of federal employment law.

Daniel M. Laneve, of Valencia, Butler County, filed suit at the Western District of Pennsylvania on Feb. 14 over allegations that the defendant, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carpenter Technology Corp., fired him after less than a year of employment because of his age.

Laneve, who was hired by the company in February 2011, says he was fired in early December of that year and replaced by someone 10 years his junior.

The company, which is based in Westmoreland County, stands accused of violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

The plaintiff, who was 50 at the time of his firing, worked as a senior industrial engineer.

“When hired and throughout his employment with Defendant, Plaintiff met applicable job qualifications, was qualified for the position which he held, and performed the job in a manner which fully met the Defendant’s legitimate expectations,” the lawsuit reads.

During his short employment, Laneve earned $50,000 per year, plus health and retirement benefits.

The plaintiff was terminated on Dec. 2, 2011, and replaced by a 40-year-old worker.

“The Plaintiff’s age was a motivating factor in the Defendant’s decision to discharge the Plaintiff,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit contains additional counts of harassment in the workplace and hostile environment related to the period of time in which Latrobe was being taken over by Carpenter Technology Corp.

From September 2011 through the date of Laneve’s discharge, the plaintiff claims that he was subjected to a course of repeated harassment, in the form of the company purposefully providing wrong information or incorrect calculation methods meant to demean or make the plaintiff look incompetent, refusing to properly train the plaintiff in all aspects of his job, talking behind Laneve’s back to other employees about him in a condescending way with the intention of trying to get Laneve to quit his job, giving the plaintiff meaningless “busy work,” and not creating a clear job description.

“The purpose of the aforesaid harassment was to secure the voluntary or involuntary termination of the Plaintiff’s position with Defendant,” the lawsuit states.

The suit says that the period of time when Latrobe was in the process of being sold to Carpenter was marred by stressful and hostile working conditions.

The suit contains additional counts of intentional infliction of emotional distress, and breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Laneve seeks reinstatement or front pay, lost pay and benefits, liquidated damages, attorney’s fees, and unspecified punitive damages.

The complaint was filed by Bridgeville, Pa. attorney Paul R. Giba.

 

The federal case number is 2:14-cv-00216-MBC.