Massachusetts Law Firm Heads to Trial On Ex-Worker’s Bias Suit

A debt collection law firm failed to convince a federal judge to grant it summary judgment on an age discrimination claim from an employee terminated at 70 after she violated a company policy.

Andover, Mass.-based Zwicker & Associates PC fired Deborah Brissette, who served as an Operations Trainer, after she’d improperly provided a reference for a former employee. She sued the firm contending that a younger colleague who’d committed the same offense was merely instructed to not repeat the error. Brissette sued under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.

US District Judge Dolly M. Gee denied the firm’s summary judgment ...