Washington for-profit college targeted in employment lawsuit
The former director of education at a for-profit college in Washington who was allegedly fired and replaced by someone younger is accusing the school of unlawful age discrimination.
A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday against Penn Commercial Business/Technical School on behalf of Patricia DeConcilis, of Chartiers Township. She claims the school placed her on indefinite layoff and terminated her employment in October. That ostensibly occurred because business was “not so good,” wrote DeConcilis’ attorney, Samuel Cordes, in a civil complaint.
DeConcilis was 68 when she was fired from the school. Cordes wrote in court papers that his client had been hired for the position in March 2016 and received excellent yearly performance reviews before she was laid off. That same month, the school hired Nicole Lane, described as being more than 20 years younger.
Lane was allegedly assigned many of the former director’s duties, and previously held the title of director of education at the school. Lane’s title is now listed on the website as campus director.
“Moreover, after discharging DeConcilis for purported financial reasons,” Cordes wrote, “defendant raised the salary of younger similarly situated employees.”
John Kwasneski, Penn Commercial’s attorney, said he doesn’t discuss pending litigation, but that “we do deny the allegations and we intend to defend against them.”
The lawsuit seeks DeConcilis’ reinstatement to her old job, her rehiring to an equivalent position or compensation for the loss of her job, along with other relief including back pay and benefits.
DeConcilis filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state Human Relations Commission the same month as her firing.