ORLANDO — A federal judge has granted a win to the U.S. Postal Service against a postal employee's age discrimination lawsuit, calling the evidence presented by a Kissimmee man "confusing and complicated."
According to the May 13 U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida Orlando Division filing, the defendant, U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan, petitioned the court for a summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by plaintiff Ravisankar Yarabothu.
Yarabothu filed a lawsuit, alleging violations of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and argued that while working for the U.S. Postal Service, he faced "a hostile work environment and retaliation." Yarabothu alleges he was treated "poorly" and "unfairly disciplined" by his supervisors including one supervisor who allegedly consistently called him an "old man."
He also alleges he routinely did not get his overtime hours he was supposed to receive and also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell took exception to Yarabothu's attorney's deposition and filings stating the counsel "cherry-picked" questions and put the questions "out in a stream of-consciousness style." Presnell called the deposition's questions "extraordinarily confusing."
Presnell concluded that none of Yarabothu's evidence supported his allegations of a hostile work environment or retaliation based on age discrimination.
The court concluded that although Yarabothu might have faced an "unpleasant" work environment, there was no evidence or testimony that a "reasonable jury" could come to the conclusion that Yarabothu faced a hostile work environment or was retaliated against due to his age.