Devoted Employee Terminated Unlawfully Following 33 Years of Service, Five Weeks Short of Receiving Retirement Benefits
On July 11, 2025, a federal jury awarded Patrice White $525,000 after finding that the Washington, D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) discriminated against her because of her age when they fired her.
Ms. White had worked for HSEMA for 33 years, where she devoted herself to ensuring the safety of Washington, D.C. residents and infrastructure during disasters, such as flooding and storms. She started at an entry level position and worked her way up, receiving high performance ratings year after year, and numerous promotions, ultimately being promoted to Bureau Chief.
However, in 2021, HSEMA fired Ms. White abruptly, citing that her supervisor had given her a lower annual performance review, the first she had ever received in her 33-year career.
Ms. White believed the real reason she was fired was age discrimination based upon numerous facts. She was aware that at least one other older employee was pushed to retire. A human resources employee had also engaged with Ms. White about retiring, at which time in the employee’s hands was a handwritten note that read “59 years old; eligible to retire; options (retreat or termination); retirement incentive.” She was just five weeks away from vesting in her retirement benefits when HSEMA terminated Ms. White, benefits that would have given her health insurance for the rest of her life. After her termination, HSEMA hired a much younger, far less experienced employee to replace Ms. White.
“We are immensely proud of Ms. White for standing up to this discrimination and winning this important jury verdict for herself,” said her attorney Jay Holland, partner of Joseph Greenwald & Laake, PA. Michal Shinnar, Senior Counsel and part of the JGL legal team added, “The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employers from assuming older employees should retire and from firing employees due to age discrimination.” The JGL legal team also included Caralea Grant.
