Man accuses engineering firm of age discrimination

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County man is suing over claims his employment was unfairly terminated due to his age.

Carl Woods filed a lawsuit May 14 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Dunn Engineers Inc., citing age discrimination.

According to the complaint, Woods fractured his leg Aug. 12, and was on short-term disability with his employer, Dunn Engineers, where he had been employed as maintenance and technician since 1998.

Woods says he returned to work Oct. 1, but the company had brought on a younger individual, and immediately after returning Woods received his first ever written warning.

The complaint says after seeking medical attention for his back Jan. 15, and inquiring to management as to whether he had any short-term disability leave left, Dunn Engineers terminated Woods's employment Jan. 17.

The defendant is accused of age discrimination, disability discrimination, failure to accommodate and tort of outrage/intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Woods is seeking damages and attorney's fees.

He is being represented in the case by attorneys Todd S. Bailess and Joy B. Mega of Bailess Law PLLC. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie L. Webster.

Kanawha Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-885