News

June 13, 2009

Ex-staffers sue Wilkes over jobs

Alleging they were fired due to their ages, 3 women file federal lawsuit against school.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter
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WILKES-BARRE – Three women formerly employed by Wilkes University have filed a federal lawsuit against the school, alleging they were fired because of their ages.

Attorney Carl J. Greco of Scranton filed the suit Wednesday on behalf of Carol Dippre, 57, of Park Ridge Drive, Shickshinny; Kathleen Diekhaus, 53, East Green Street, Nanticoke; and Jocelyn Reese, 58, of Abbot Street, Wilkes-Barre.

According to the suit:

In October 2006 each of the women were advised that their positions were being eliminated as part of reorganization within the university. Dippre and Reese were employed in the school’s procurement office and Diekhaus employed in the graduate studies program.

The school told the women they could reapply for their positions if they were qualified. Each of the women had been employed in their posts for more than 20 years, but university officials deemed they were not qualified to hold their former positions.

The school then created new positions with similar duties that were filled with persons who were substantially younger than Dippre, Diekhaus and Reese, according to the suit.

Two months after their positions were eliminated, Dippre, Diekhaus and Reese were hired to work in the school’s One Stop Student Center, which provides a variety of services to students, including helping them with registration and financial aid.

The job entailed duties for which the women required training. Despite repeated requests, the school did not provide adequate training for the women, but did provide the training for employees that were younger than Dippre, Diekhaus and Reese.

Dippre was fired from her position at the One Stop Student Center in April 2007. Diekhaus and Reese were fired one month later.

The suit alleges the university’s actions violated the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act. It seeks unspecified damages for loss of back pay, future pay and compensatory and punitive damages.

Vicki Mayk, spokeswoman for Wilkes, declined to comment on the suit, citing the university’s policy not to comment on pending litigation.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179.

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