LHU Settles Lawsuit with Mill Hall Woman

WILLIAMSPORT – PennLive is reporting the settlement of a federal lawsuit involving a former Lock Haven University employee from Mill Hall. The local university had been accused of forcing out older employees to avoid settlement benefits at the age of 60.

Plaintiff was Pattiann Merrifield, a clerk at LHU who was fired from her position in January of 2016 at the age of 58. The case had been heard in U.S. Middle District Court. Terms were not announced in a court filing on Wednesday.

John Beauge from PennLive filed details:

Judge Matthew W. Brann in July ordered mediation but was advised a month later those efforts failed. A clerk since 2006, she claimed she was fired after she refused the option of early retirement. She says she was replaced by a 34 year old.

She accused the university of firing her to avoid paying the retirement benefits to which she would be entitled when she turned 60.

The university contends Merrifield was terminated due to job performance issues.

Attached to the court complaint were affidavits from two other former Lock Haven employees who claimed they were forced out like Merrifield.
She initially sought to have her complaint certified as a class action but withdrew her motion moments before Brann, also in July, ruled it was premature.

The judge at the same time dismissed some of the claims against Deana Hill, associate vice president of human resources, and the university.

The suit also accused Lock Haven of failing to adequately adopt, post and implement procedures to respond to allegations of age discrimination.