WHEELING – A Triadelphia man alleges his former employer discriminated against him because of his age.
Charles W. Stalnaker filed a complaint Oct. 6 in Ohio Circuit Court against Tunnel Ridge LLC alleging that the mining operator violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff is 62 and has worked in the mining industry for 40 years; he was hired by the defendant in 2009 as a longwall coordinator. The suit states that in November 2016, defendant requested the plaintiff to train another substantially younger and inexperienced employee as a longwall coordinator. He alleges that the defendant later demoted him to a lower position with less pay and benefits and the employee he trained filled the plaintiff's previous position.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney's fees, costs and all other just and proper relief. He is represented by Mark Colantonio, Robert J. Fitzsimmons and Justin J. Wiater of Fitzsimmons Law Firm PLLC in Wheeling.
Ohio Circuit Court case number 17-C-287