WHEELING -- Two sisters are suing over claims their employer discriminated against them based on age.
Ruth Wheeler and Rebecca Hood filed a lawsuit March 26 in Ohio Circuit Court against Jarvis, Downing & Emch Inc., citing age discrimination and perceived disability discrimination.
According to the complaint, Ruth Wheeler and Rebecca Hood are sisters who were employed by the contracting and engineering firm for 30 years until they were cut back to part-time, their healthcare was dropped and they were encouraged to go on Medicare.
Hood says when she protested their demotions, she was told it was based upon age and that younger women better able to learn new computer programs would be hired, despite the sisters use of multiple computer systems over long periods of employment. Their employment was simultaneously terminated on Dec. 30, 2012.
Wheeler and Hood are seeking compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined the court.
They are being represented in the case by attorney Nicholas A. Wininsky. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Ronald E. Wilson.
Ohio Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-83