Date: Fri 19-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-age-discrimination

Full Text:

Police Target Of Age Discrimination Complaint

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

A Fairfield man has filed a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human

Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) alleging he was not hired as a policeman by

the Newtown department because he is too old.

In the complaint, Charles Wellner, 55, alleges that although he received his

certification as a police officer from the state's Police Officer Standards

and Training Council (POSTC) on February 14, 1998, and is qualified to serve

as a Newtown police officer, the police department disqualified him from the

police officer selection process, alleging he was not certified by the POSTC.

Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr, is named as the respondent in the

complaint.

"At least one other individual who was younger than me and who was not

certified as a police officer ... was allowed to continue in the ... police

officer hiring process," Mr Wellner alleges in his complaint.

He adds that after the town rejected his job application, it continued to

interview candidates who were younger than he and not as qualified for the

job.

A ranking officer of the police department told him that his age would reflect

negatively on the police department, Mr Wellner alleges.

Mr Wellner adds there was no legitimate reason not to hire him and that his

age was the reason he was not hired.

The CHRO will investigate the complaint and issue a draft finding, conduct a

comment period and then issue a final finding. The CHRO also offers dispute

resolution services, if requested.

Chief Lysaght said, "The town will be responding to the complaint.