Company that maintains rest stops settles EEOC lawsuit

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A company under contract with the state to maintain state-owned rest areas will pay more than $39,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

A news release from the commission says Liberty Support Services, Inc. of Raleigh was charged with violating federal law when it fired or refused to rehire four rest area attendants employed at the Cherokee County Rest Area. In 2016, the state closed the rest area for renovations.

The attendants, all of whom were over age 40, expected to return to their jobs when renovations were completed.

Instead, they learned they had been discharged and replaced with younger workers.