PENSACOLA – A former employee is filing a lawsuit against Carlisle Etcetera, claiming that the company discriminated against her on the basis of her age and terminated her in retaliation for complaints to human resources.
Plaintiff Edith Dance filed the lawsuit in federal court against Carlisle Etcetera citing allegations of discrimination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 (FCRA).
According to court documents, Dance was employed by Carlisle Etcetera as a Vice President of Recruiting and National Sales until her termination in June 2020. She says her termination was the result of age discrimination and retaliation. Dance claims the company owner often complained about her and other women in the company as "fat and lazy women" and said the company needed younger workers.
In 2020, Dance says the company was shrinking its workforce because of economic conditions and claims employees over the age of 40 were being terminated, whereas younger employees were placed on unpaid leave and allowed to return to work when the company's economic condition improved. The plaintiff says her complaints were ignored by the company's human resources department and the company CEO.
Dance says she was terminated from the company in retaliation for her complaints and on the basis of her age.
Dance is seeking compensatory damages for lost earnings, employment benefits, job opportunities, pain, suffering and emotional distress plus interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief. She is being represented by T.A. "Tad" Delegal III of Delegal & Poindexter in Jacksonville.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, case number 3:23-cv-24637