ST. LOUIS -- Marie Lienhop filed a complaint recently in St. Charles County Circuit Court against NSF International Food Safety, LLC for unlawful employment practices in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act.
According to the complaint, Lienhop is 66 years old and worked for NSF International Food Safety, LLC from June 2006 until Nov. 4, 2020. Lienhop performed her duties as an audit team leader until April 6, 2020, when the company furloughed the audit team leaders who managed contract auditors.
Lienhop alleges that she offered to take a temporary 25% pay cut but was denied. On June 2, 2020, Lienhop alleges that a younger audit team leader was called back to work from furlough.
Lienhop alleges that in August 2020, another audit team leader was called back to work who also was 30 years younger, despite Lienhop having years more experience than the other two women called back.
In October 2020, Lienhop applied for two other positions with the company that she did not get as she alleges the company hired a younger, less experienced person for each position. On Oct. 6, 2020, Lienhop alleges asking HR if the company had not called her back due to her age.
On Nov. 4, 2020, Lienhop was laid off. In July 2021, she reapplied for her old position and was not hired back as the company hired a woman in her 40s with less experience, the suit says,
Lienhop seeks back pay and lost benefits, front pay, interest on back pay, compensation for non-diagnosed emotional distress, punitive damages, cost of suit and attorney fees. Lienhop is represented by Jessica M. Scales of Sedey Harper Westhoff, P.C.
The defendant removed the case to federal court on Oct. 29.
Circuit Court of St. Charles County case number 4:21-cv-01299-SEP