A Holland resident is suing his former employer for what he claims are discriminatory employment practices.
Christopher Smolyn brought suit against Huntington Valley Country Club on Nov. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that defendant's actions violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act as well as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
The lawsuit states that Smolyn was employed by the defendant from March 2006 until Jan. 22, 2014 as an executive chef and that Smolyn earned exemplary job ratings throughout the course of his employment. Smolyn claims that in April 2013, there was a substantial shift in management and that Smolyn's new 30-year-old manager, Robert Anen, became his immediate supervisor. The plaintiff further claims that on Jan. 22, 2014, Anen informed Smolyn that the company was moving in a "different direction" and that Smolyn was then immediately replaced with another, younger individual. The suit identifies Smolyn's age as 47 and states that the age of the replacement was approximately 30 years old. Smolyn avers that his replacement was in fact due to age discrimination.
The plaintiff claims that as result of the defendant's allegedly improper and illegal employment practices, he has suffered financial as well as emotional harm and that he has suffered permanent and significant harm. He seeks to recover his lost wages as well as compensatory damages for the harm he allegedly suffered due to the defendant's actions.
Smolyn seeks damages in excess of $150,000 in addition to costs. Smolyn is represented by attorney Sidney L. Gold of the Sidney L. Gold, Esquire office in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number is 2:15-cv-06095-JHS