A former creative director with Mariner Wealth Advisors alleged in a new lawsuit that a supervisor forced him out as part of a broader push to hire younger workers at the expense of their older peers.<\/p>\n
Damon Scruggs filed his suit in Kansas federal court this week, accusing Mariner of age discrimination. In the complaint, he says he\u2019s seeking the pay he purportedly lost out on, as well as additional emotional distress and punitive damages.<\/p>\n
According to the complaint, Scruggs was in his mid-50s and began working for Mariner in 2014. His LinkedIn profile indicates he was a senior creative manager with the firm, operating out of its Overland Park, Kan. headquarters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In his profile, Scruggs writes that he led an \u201cin-house creative team,\u201d creating and implementing brand strategies and development and ensuring the brand meets quality and regulatory standards.<\/p>\n
According to the complaint, in February 2024, Kathryn Anastasio became Scruggs\u2019 manager, and he alleged she began forcing individuals in their 50s out of the company as \u201cpart of a shift toward a younger workforce\u201d (Scruggs counted at least three other similarly-aged employees who were fired before Scruggs lost his job).<\/p>\n