Job applicant sues Stanley for age discrimination

Aug. 26—STANLEY — An applicant who sought a job in the city's Water Department is suing Stanley, alleging he wasn't considered due to his age.

Ed Shilts of Stanley filed the age discrimination lawsuit last month in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, naming the City of Stanley as the defendant.

Through Minneapolis attorney Timothy J. O'Connor, the city filed its response on Aug. 16 denying Shilt's allegation of age discrimination and requested that the lawsuit be dismissed.

Shilts, 59, applied for a job at Stanley's water treatment plant in August 2021, but did not hear back before learning another candidate had been hired for the position.

"There was no interview whatsoever," Shilts said to the Common Council on Nov. 1, according to an audio recording of the meeting available through the city's website.

Shilts attended the meeting after reading an article in the Stanley Republican newspaper about the job's candidate pool that made him question if his application had gotten lost.

City officials assured Shilts that his application was indeed reviewed. That led to Shilts ask why he hadn't been hired. The response he got is a critical part of his lawsuit.

"(Sigh) I'm going to be careful how we answer that question too for the simple fact is, um, because of age, you know," Mayor Alan Haas can be heard replying the recording of the meeting.

Haas continued by saying the city was "looking for was somebody to work into this position, which is going to take a number of years to get worked into this position."

The mayor then said, "I can't come out and tell you, Ed, it's age. That's what it was."

In the lawsuit, Shilts alleges he had qualifications relevant to the job that the three other candidates lacked.

He has worked at a cheese factory for nine years where he performs lab work for water treatment — experience he cited in his application for the city job.

The city denies that Shilts' experience in the cheese factory is directly applicable to the Water Department position.

Shilts alleged that the man hired for the job didn't have education or work experience relevant to the position.

The city hired 40-year-old electrician Dan Demske at the water plant in October 2021, according to the lawsuit.

In the city's response, it notes that in addition to being a licensed electrician, Demske had also previously worked as a controls technician for Trane and in maintenance at Marshfield Clinic.

Representing Shilts in the lawsuit is attorneys Aaron Halstead and Brook Tylka of Madison law firm Hawks Quindel.

Shilts' lawsuit concludes with his demands for instatement to the water plant position, back pay and benefits, damages and attorney's fees. He is requesting the matter be heard by a six-person jury.

The case's first scheduled court date is a Sept. 13 pretrial conference.