Award-Winning Journalist Sues Public Broadcast Station for Age Discrimination  

Labor Landscape

Paula Zetter, a veteran Emmy-winning  design director at WQED-TV who was among at least nine employees terminated by WQED CEO Jason Jedlinski in late 2023 and early 2024, recently filed an age discrimination lawsuit against the public broadcaster.  

According to court documents, Zetter seeks reinstatement to her job or compensation until she can find a similar position. Zetter’s lawsuit was filed by Greensburg attorney Samuel Cordes in federal court in Pittsburgh and asks for a jury trial.  

Cordes said it will probably take two years for the case to come to trial. “We just filed the paperwork,’’ Cordes said.  

Zetter, 59, workd for WQED for 23 years before her termination. The suit states that on the day Zetter was fired, four other employees were also fired.  The average age of employees let go that day was 54.4, per the lawsuit.  

“In February 2024, shortly before defendant eliminated Zetter and four other …. older workers, Jedlinski suggested that Zetter should move to part-time work because she was now in this ‘phase of life,’ “  the lawsuit states.  The lawsuit also alleges that less than one year after Jedlinski joined WQED in 2023, Jedlinski eliminated 10 older employees whose average age was 50. During the same time, the lawsuit said Jedlinski hired eight new employees whose average age was 36.7 years.   

Zetter’s suit states that her duties were to be assigned to three separate staff positions.  

 The lawsuit concludes “defendant did not eliminate the duties of Zetter or the other aforesaid older employees.”    

 “Defendant  just eliminated Zetter and each of the other four employees whose ages averaged 54.4.’’  WQED declined to comment. 

According to AARP’s Value of Experience Survey,  64 percent of workers age 40-plus have witnessed or experienced age discrimination in the workplace.  The percentage of workers  experiencing discrimination since turning 40  is 48 percent – and even more shocking is 54 percent for Latinos.  The AARP survey also found that nearly all (90 percent)in the general population believe age discrimination toward older workers is common, including 35 percent who believe it is very common. And University of Chicago research shows “the pandemic has derailed the finances and careers of individuals of all ages” and wrecked havoc on older people – particularly those who are 50 years of age and older.  

As a result of increased age discrimination, an uncomfortable amount of the 45-and-over crowd has been forced to take jobs at Home Depot or accept gig roles, just to pay bills and get health coverage.  

 Millions of older workers are struggling to be considered for jobs due to age bias, according to AARP. As of May 2024, 27.4 percent of job seekers 55 plus were long-term unemployed compared to 20 percent of those between ages 16 and 54. 

Share This Article: