Age Discrimination

Mitsubishi! > Issues > Employment Discrimination Age Discrimination > Age Discrimination Cases > Normal lawsuit

Source Kyodo news

August 3, 2001. NEW YORK — Five former managers at Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc have filed a lawsuit against the Japanese automaker for alleged age and race discrimination, lawyers for the plaintiffs said Thursday.

Nicholas Esposito, a partner of the Chicago-based law firm Esposito & Schramm, told Kyodo News that the lawsuit, filed in an Illinois federal court, charges the Normal, Illinois-based U.S. affiliate of Mitsubishi Motors Corp of practicing age and race discrimination during a downsizing in 1999.

Damages claimed by the plaintiffs have yet to be determined, he added.

Out of 111 non-union employees fired, 87 were over age 40, with the greatest impact on employees over age 50 — including the five plaintiffs — except for one manager, a woman aged 68, who happened to be of Japanese ancestry and was retained.

Those taking over their jobs were younger and less skilled, the lawsuit contends.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled March 30 this year that Mitsubishi had committed age discrimination, advising the former employees to proceed with a lawsuit after the company declined an out-of-court settlement.

"We are pleased with the EEOC decision, but are now directing all of our attention and energy to this suit," Esposito said.

Mitsubishi argues that the job cuts were part of the company's strategy to reduce the workforce by approximately 18% affecting 207 staff and management positions.