Male Fair Lawn Library Worker Alleges Gender Discrimination in Lawsuit

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Fair Lawn NJ,. a Fair Lawn Public Library employee, Alexander Cardillo, has filed a discrimination lawsuit claiming he was fired and replaced by a less-qualified woman due to his gender. The lawsuit, filed on February 13 in state Superior Court, alleges violations of New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination and unfair treatment by the library director and board.

Allegations of Workplace Discrimination

Cardillo, a library employee since 2004, holds a master’s degree in library science and a state librarian certification. His lawsuit claims that:

• The library staff of 30 employees is predominantly female, with only four male workers.
• Library Director Adele Puccio has hired only one other man since becoming director in 2016, and only for temporary positions.
• His annual raises were denied since 2022, and his work hours were cut.
• He was chastised for discussing pay with other staff during a library repair period.

Retaliation & Unjust Termination

According to the lawsuit, Cardillo was informed in February 2023 that he would be removed from the schedule until further notice. However, he never received a Rice notice, a required step before discussing an employee’s job status. Days later, he was issued a disciplinary action notice, accusing him of using a library computer to contact an employee—a violation of the library’s confidentiality policy.

The suit states that Puccio removed him from his position and later replaced him with a female employee who lacked the necessary qualifications.

During a hearing, Cardillo was allegedly falsely accused of harassment and subsequently fired. He appealed the decision, and his case was transferred to the Office of Administrative Law. After nearly a year, he reached a settlement with the library board and was reinstated in March 2024.

Post-Reinstatement Allegations

Despite returning to his previous role, Cardillo claims the library board and Puccio retaliated by:

• Cutting his hours to just six per week.
• Denying him discretionary hours, which were only granted to female employees.
• Refusing to communicate with him.
• Offering a newly hired female employee his former Sunday shift.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Puccio shared details of the settlement agreement with outside parties, violating confidentiality.

Gender Bias & Allegations of a Hostile Work Environment

The suit also accuses Puccio of favoring female employees and making derogatory comments about men. At a December 2024 library board meeting, Puccio allegedly made a dismissive remark about First Amendment auditors, stating that “those are guys who live in their mother’s basement.”

Seeking Legal Damages

Cardillo claims that these actions have caused him physical, emotional, and financial harm. His lawsuit seeks:

✅ Compensatory and punitive damages
✅ Attorney’s fees
✅ Reimbursement for lawsuit costs

Library’s Response & Next Steps

So far, Fair Lawn Borough Manager Kurt Peluso has not responded to requests for comment. The lawsuit names the Fair Lawn Public Library, its director, and the library board as defendants.

As this case unfolds, it could set a precedent for gender discrimination claims in public workplaces. Stay tuned for updates on this developing legal battle. From politics to policy, from culture to current affairs, our eBlast will keep you well-informed . http://eepurl.com/bgt6T #RidgewoodBlog #News #LocalNews #StateNews #NationalNews #Subscribe #StayInformed #Community