70-year-old physician was told hospital staff needed to ‘get younger.’ Then he was fired, he claims.

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Recent press coverage highlights attorney Barry D. Epstein’s representation of physician Joseph D. Napolitano in a civil lawsuit alleging age discrimination against Hackensack University Medical Center and its parent company, Hackensack Meridian Health.

According to the coverage, Napolitano, a 70-year-old board-certified ophthalmologist, alleges that he was terminated after nearly two decades of work at Hackensack University Medical Center. The lawsuit claims that a supervisor told Napolitano that the department needed to become younger and that he was not part of its future. The complaint further alleges that the hospital subsequently replaced him with a significantly younger physician.

The lawsuit also raises a contractual issue. Napolitano alleges that an employment agreement signed in 2021 required 90 days’ notice before termination, but that he did not receive that advance notice. The complaint seeks financial compensation for alleged emotional distress and economic losses resulting from the termination.

The coverage notes that Hackensack Meridian Health declined to address the specific allegations because the litigation remains pending, while stating its commitment to a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment.

Read the full coverage here. 

 

The Epstein Law Firm, P.A., continues its work representing clients in employment-related legal matters.