Federal judge sides with PetroChem in age discrimination lawsuit

A Federal Judge in Tulsa has ruled against a man who contended he was discriminated against because of his  age when he was let go two years ago by PetroChem Development Company.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell granted a summary judgment request by PetroChem in the lawsuit filed by David Dormont.

Dormont had worked for the company about 28 months and was laid off in 2016 as part of a reduction-in-force the company said was necessitated by a downturn in the oil and gas market.  He claimed it was one of five people let go and accused PetroChem of age discrimination.

But Dormont signed a separation agreement and received a severance payment totaling $2,636.86. The judge ruled that Dormont had been hired when he was in his 50s and the executive who terminated him was 47. Judge Fizzell said he could find no evidence of age discrimination and ruled in support of the company.