Former Drug Sales Exec Wins Age Bias Suit in Vegas

A pharmaceutical firm says it’ll appeal a nearly $1.9 million judgment awarded by a federal jury in Las Vegas in an age bias lawsuit.

Sales executive Randy Dossat claimed he was fired at age 55 because he complained about supervisors’ comments that he didn’t fit the company’s “new environment.”

Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. says in a statement that it believes the suit filed in 2009 has no merit, and should have been handled as a workers’ compensation insurance claim.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that a U.S. District Court on March 5 awarded Dossat $168,000 for lost pay and $1.7 million in damages for pain and suffering.

Dossat said he had an excellent employment record and regular performance-based raises since joining the company in 1997 as a division sales manager.