Allen Theatres Settles Age Discrimination Lawsuit for $250,000
Allen Theatres, Inc., a movie theater chain operating across New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The lawsuit alleged that the company forced longtime theater manager Abby Parrish to retire due to his age and eliminated health benefits for older employees.
According to the EEOC, Allen Theatres' president compelled Parrish, who had managed a theater in Clovis, New Mexico, for 31 years, to retire in September 2020 because he was 73 years old. When the theaters reopened in March 2021 after COVID-19 closures, the company refused to allow him to return to work. Additionally, the EEOC claimed that Allen Theatres had a discriminatory compensation policy that ceased paying for Parrish's family health insurance once he turned 65 and became eligible for Medicare.
The lawsuit also highlighted that this policy affected other employees aged 65 and over, including Charles Green, the company's IT director in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The EEOC argued that these actions violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protects employees aged 40 and older from discrimination based on age.
The settlement includes a two-year consent decree requiring Allen Theatres to offer health insurance coverage to any current employee aged 65 or older who is not enrolled in the company's health plan. The decree also mandates the revision of company policies to prohibit age discrimination and implement robust investigative and training procedures. Allen Theatres must report its training, complaints, and policy modifications to the EEOC.
Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Phoenix District Office, expressed appreciation for Allen Theatres' cooperation in negotiating an early resolution. She emphasized that forcing workers to retire due to age violates federal anti-discrimination laws. Melinda Caraballo, district director of the EEOC’s Phoenix District Office, stressed the importance of training staff to recognize and prevent discriminatory treatment.
Class members Charles Green and Abby Parrish expressed gratitude for the EEOC's efforts in achieving the settlement. Parrish noted that he felt blessed and thankful for the support he received from the EEOC.
Think this will be made into a movie?
# # #
# # #