Company lied to coordinator about 'no mandatory retirement age,' suit alleges

HOUSTON - An Anderson County man is taking his former employer to court on claims it lied to him about "no company retirement age," recent court documents say.

According to a lawsuit filed Nov. 15 in Houston federal court, Seadrill Americas Inc. terminated David F. Miles because of his age despite supposed guarantees it would not.

Seadrill employed Miles as a safety training coordinator at the time of the events in question.

A man in his late 60s, Miles was reportedly told by the defendant it had no mandatory retirement age.

After the company reassured him a few times, the suit states, the plaintiff signed an employment agreement which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

The defendant placed its own management team to oversee the rig on which Miles worked.

The suit shows the assistant rig manager purportedly made it known that he planned on getting rid of several employees on the rig who were all "too old."

Among those targeted for dismissal were the complainant and a few workers older than 45 years of age, the original petition says.

Miles continued to work as the elder employees were let go.

In June 2012, however, the claimant's manager informed him he was allowed one last trip on the rig because "he was too old," the suit says.

It adds a month later he received a retirement confirmation email to which he insists "he made no such agreement."

The plaintiff states he was "unceremoniously" terminated on July 12, 2012, and replaced by a man who was approximately 22 years his junior.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Terrence Robinson of Kennard Blankenship Robinson P.C. in Houston is representing Miles.

Case No. 4:13-CV-3395