In Kean v. Brinker International d/b/a Chili’s (6th Cir., No. 24-5514, 06/17/2025), the restaurant chain fired a 59-year-old restaurant general manager, replaced him with a 33-year-old, and he sued claiming age discrimination. The trial court granted summary judgment for the employer, but the Sixth Circuit reversed. The employer’s stated reason was that the manager was creating a toxic “culture” and not “living the Chili’s way.” However, the court noted the employer had little evidence to support its “culture” rationale and did not appear to follow its own polcies and procedures in terminating the plaintiff. Further, the court noted the employer did not rely on any of its objective metrics for evaluating “culture,” while the manager produced evidence that the employer was cultivating a youthful “culture” that he did not fit into. Ultimately, the court held resolution of the dispute required evaluation of the manager’s credibility, which was appropriate for resolution by a trier of fact.
Sixth Circuit – Workplace “Culture” Argument Fails in Age Discrimination Case
