Ex-Employees Sue Defense Contractor for Age Discrimination

Twelve ex-employees have sued a local defense contractor, alleging they were laid off because of their age.

The workers, who ranged in age from 46 to 78 at the time of their termination, were among 68 employees laid off by Mission Solutions Engineering (MSE) in Moorestown in January 2012, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court on Wednesday.

The company, which employed approximately 500 at the time of the layoffs, claimed the staff cuts were due to decreased governmental funding.

However, the former employees allege they were laid off as “part of a broader plan by MSE to reduce the age of its workforce.”

Harvey Sklar, of Riverton, is one of the former employees who brought the suit against MSE. He was 74 at the time of his layoff. 

Many of the plaintiffs in the suit had been employed at MSE for more than a decade, some for 20 to 30 years. They claim the company “retained one or more similarly situated employees who were younger and less qualified or experienced” than they were.

One former employee even alleges his manager frequently encouraged him to consider retirement and “badgered” him about his decision not to.

The suit accuses MSE of violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and seeks back pay, damages and possible reinstatement, or in lieu of that, front pay, for all 12 ex-employees.

An MSE representative could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.

The company’s headquarters are located on North Church Street in Moorestown, across from Wesley Bishop Park.