US Woman Awarded $78,000 in Court After Being Fired
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
court
Noun
kɔːrt
an official group that hears and decides upon legal cases; the place where such cases are heard
He said he'd take them to court if they didn't pay.
confidence
Noun
ˈkɑːnfɪdəns
a belief that one can trust or rely on a person or thing; a belief in one's own abilities or skills
I have a lot of confidence in every member of my team.
unspecified
Adjective
ʌnˈspesɪfaɪd
not clearly stated
The company has been ordered to pay an unspecified sum to the defendants.
decline
Verb
dɪˈklaɪn
to say no to an offer, invitation, etc.
Sally declined my offer of another glass of wine.
violate
Verb
ˈvaɪəˌleɪt
to break or fail to respect a rule, law, etc.
He was fired for violating the company's online security policy.
rule
Verb
ruːl
to make an official legal decision or judgement
The judge ruled that the accountant's actions did not constitute fraud.
Article
US Woman Awarded $78,000 in Court After Being Fired
A woman in the US will receive $78,000 after being fired from her job as a receptionist, a court has said.
In February 2022, Shirley Noble, who was 78 years old at the time, felt unwell while at work and was taken to hospital.
By then, she had been working for Covenant Woods Senior Living, a retirement facility in Columbus, Georgia, for 14 years, and had even been named employee of the year in 2021.
According to court documents, Noble left the hospital two days later. But when she went back to work, she found that there was a new, younger receptionist working there.
She then had a meeting with her manager, who asked her how much longer she planned to work for.
Noble said she wanted to work for another two or three years. But the manager said the company had "lost confidence" in her abilities as a receptionist after she was taken to hospital.
She was told she could either work once per week on Sundays, move to a different department in an unspecified role, or work as an unpaid volunteer.
Wanting to keep her role, Noble declined, and she was then fired.
Noble took the company to court, saying it violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects workers from being fired only because of a disability or because of their age, if they are 40 years or older.
The court ruled in Noble's favor, and on April 30, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that Covenant Woods Senior Living would have to pay Noble $78,000.
Questions
Answer the following questions about the article.
1.
For how many years had Shirley Noble worked for the retirement facility?
Answer
"By then, she had been working for Covenant Woods Senior Living, a retirement facility in Columbus, Georgia, for 14 years ..."
2.
How long was Noble in hospital?
Answer
"According to court documents, Noble left the hospital two days later. "
3.
How long did Noble say she would like to continue working?
Answer
"Noble said she wanted to work for another two or three years."
4.
What are your thoughts on Shirley Noble's court victory?
5.
Do you think the court made the right decision?
6.
Would you have accepted the manager's offer if you were in Noble's position?
7.
Do you know anyone who is still working past retirement age?
8.
Is it common for people to work past retirement age in your country?
