the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Park Ridge NJ, an 83-year-old security guard filed a lawsuit against Bergen County, claiming age and disability discrimination. Paul Fiorini said he was replaced by someone younger after he suffered nerve damage in a workplace accident.
An octogenarian security guard fired by Bergen County after a workplace accident says he was subjected to discrimination because of his age and disability.
Paul Fiorini, an 83-year-old Park Ridge resident, said he was replaced by someone younger after he was injured while on the job and needed accommodations.
Fiorini’s lawsuit, filed in state Superior Court, outlined his employment with the county. He was hired in May 2022 as a security to patrol different facilities. The suit says he didn’t have any incidents or face any disciplinary actions.
Derek Sands, a spokesperson for Bergen County, said it’s the county’s “policy not to comment on matters of personnel or pending litigation.”
In November 2022, Fiorini was hurt during an unspecified workplace accident, suffering serious injuries to his right knee. The suit says he sustained “significant nerve damage, aggravating a pre-existing injury.” He got medical attention, reported what happened, filed a workers’ compensation claim and took medical leave.
He returned to work in May 2023 with a doctor’s note saying he was limited in driving and patrolling to a particular location that was not specified in the lawsuit. Fiorini said his supervisor told him he “could not ‘pick and choose’ his work assignments” and that he was fired when he tried to give the supervisor the note.
The suit says there was no discussion or attempt to help Fiorini with his disability or request for accommodations. Fiorini says he was told he was not entitled to a termination letter and that “he instead ‘should be retired.'” Fiorini was replaced by a younger person after being fired.
Fiorini alleged he was discriminated against based on his age and his disability, in violation of the state’s Law Against Discrimination. The suit says Fiorini suffered “severe emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, anguish, personal hardship, career and social disruption, psychological and emotional harm, economic losses and lost employment opportunities.”
He is seeking “full compensation with back pay and benefits with full remuneration with interest, full compensation for front pay benefits with full remuneration with interest,” damages and attorney’s fees.
The suit also accuses the county of retaliating against Fiorini for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
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In 2022, at about 80 years of age, he never should have been hired as a security guard in the first place. Bergen County should be sued for being stupid and for failing to fix all the depressed manhole covers on county roads.
We’re talking about a SECURITY guard – there should be some kind of physical fitness requirement for the job? If he can meet the requirements he should be able to do the job.
Perhaps with the stipulation that you have to be tested for physical fitness more frequently as you get older…. I know a 70 year old who goes to the gym regularly and can kick a$$.
He probably would have sued them for discrimination if they hadn’t hired him. Either way, they were getting sued.
At 80, way past his prime, has a lot of experience in his life, nothing against him he definitely could still contribute but NOT as a security guard!
young women who do not have the same physical fitness standards as men are rountinely hired in law enforcement .
Hey, you never now I meet many individuals that are 25 and younger and boy boy they are stupid
You’re a security guard, your job is to make a phone call to police. Unless you have a permit to carry a gun if not, let the police handle it. They’re getting paid for it right