A former Publix pharmacy employee is accusing the company of age discrimination.
Michael Neuhaus filed his complaint in federal court against Publix Super Markets Inc.
In the complaint, he accuses Publix of violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.
Neuhaus says he began working for Publix in July 2009 as a Pharmacy Intern and was promoted to Pharmacy Manager in 2010. He alleges the discriminatory acts against him started around August 2020 when he was wrongfully blamed for an inappropriate email sent by a technician at his workplace. According to Neuhaus, this incident marked the beginning of a series of discriminatory actions based on his age.
The plaintiff further claims his supervisor informed him he could be replaced with a younger person who could be paid less. Following this, Neuhaus complained to the store manager about the age-based discrimination he was experiencing. However, instead of addressing his concerns, Publix allegedly increased its unwarranted scrutiny and criticism of Neuhaus.
Neuhaus also accuses managers Whit Taylor and Jason Busciglio of retaliating against him for complaining about age discrimination. He claims their actions led to him having a panic attack and needing emergency medical attention.
Despite reporting these incidents to management, Neuhaus alleges no remedial action was taken by Publix. In October 2021, he was suspended from work without pay due to a customer complaint from three years prior . But he says he belives that action was retaliation for his complaints about age discrimination.
Neuhaus submitted a detailed letter outlining his experiences to HR on October 20, 2022. The very next day, he was terminated from his employment, another action he believes was based on his age and in retaliation for his complaints.