Five former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory workers who had alleged they were unjustly laid off in 2008 because of age discrimination were awarded $2.7 million by a California jury late Friday. The five workers—66-year-old Elaine Andrews, 63-year-old Greg Olsen, 61-year-old Marian Barraza, 60-year-old James “Rocky” Torrice, and 57-year-old Mario Jimenez—are a “representative” group of 130 former lab workers that sued contractor Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, in connection with the 2008 layoff of 440 lab employees, and the jury award delivered Friday represents back wages for the plaintiffs. The trial represented the first phase of litigation, and Gary Gwilliam, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he would be meeting with the judge in the case to discuss how to proceed for the remaining plaintiffs. Gwilliam called the decision an “across-the-board win for the plaintiffs. These workers deserved this decision.” While the jury awarded the workers lost wages, it did not award Andrews an extra $3 million that she sought in connection for allegations of retribution dating to a sexual harassment lawsuit she had previously filed. During the trial, lawyers for the laboratory denied that age discrimination played a role in the layoffs and said the workers were let go to ensure the future of the lab and because the workers’ skills were no longer essential.
Jobs