KABC RADIO WORKER FILES AGE-BIAS CASE.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Staff Writer BURBANK - A man on medical leave from his job as a board operator at KABC-AM (790) radio has filed an age-discrimination lawsuit against the company, saying he was on a ``hit list'' because he's over 40. Jon Anthony Dosa DOSA Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (Washington state) DOSA Distributed-power Open Standards Alliance DOSA Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea (Plano, Texas) DOSA Dean of Students' Affairs , 59, also claims he was told to shut out older callers to the radio station's talk shows. His suit, filed Nov. 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims unlawful discrimination on account of age, wrongful discharge An at-will employee's Cause of Action against his former employer, alleging that his discharge was in violation of state or federal antidiscrimination statutes, public policy, an implied contract, or an implied Covenant of Good Faith and fair dealing. based on age and religion, and breach of contract. ``There was a greening of that station where a lot of the older people, especially the radio personalities, were weeded out,'' said Dosa's attorney, Christopher R. Baker. ``They wanted a younger demographic and they wanted to get rid of anyone that is older than that.'' ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. officials said they have not received the suit and would not comment on specifics of the complaint, which also named ABC and its owner, The Walt Disney Co. Officials did say they were surprised by the wrongful-discharge claims because Dosa has not been fired. ``In any case ABC has strong policies forbidding discrimination of all kinds,'' said Julie Hoover, an ABC spokeswoman. ``That certainly includes age discrimination." Dosa went on medical leave for a seizure disorder Seizure Disorder Definition A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other neurological and behavioral manifestations. in September and the suit says his doctors told him a ``return to this hostile work environment A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears going to work because of the offensive, intimidating, or oppressive atmosphere generated by the harasser. would endanger his health.'' Baker said his client is evaluating whether he can return, but he added that having to take a medical leave is tantamount to being discharged. In his suit, Dosa said he was regularly asked to shut out older callers, especially those calling in for the station's ``What Steams Me'' contest - giving prizes to the best gripe gripe v. To have sharp pains in the bowels. n. 1. gripes Sharp, spasmodic pains in the bowels. 2. A firm hold; a grasp. . Lying, he said, is against his beliefs as a member of Religious Science International and he refused. Dosa was penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. for disobeying by being put on the overnight schedules, Baker said. The suit says employees were instructed to not promote people over 40, who also were singled out for ``questionable and fabricated'' offenses and held to more difficult standards than their younger counterparts. Another board operator, 42-year-old Greg Hardeson, filed suit against the company in September. He also claimed wrongful discharge based on age, unlawful discrimination on account of age and breach of contract. He was fired from ABC in September 1998. |
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