Lawsuit Filed Against Ventra Salem, LLC for Age Discrimination by Former Employee

Jean Long, a former Blackhawk Automotive Plastics employee, has filed a lawsuit against plastic auto parts supplier Ventra Salem, LLC, located in Salem, Ohio. Ventra Salem, LLC is a GM, Ford and Chrysler supplier. Allegations are being made by Long that Ventra Salem, LLC improperly fired her and denied her medical insurance benefits through COBRA, because of her age.

Blackhawk Automotive Plastics, now named Ventra Salem, LLC, filed bankruptcy in October of 2007 in hopes of restructuring the company. Many outside companies found interest in the plastics factory, and two companies in particular became Blackhawk Automotive Plastics contenders for a purchase. Flex-N-Gate was approved by the Bankruptcy Court to purchase the plastics company, and the final sale date was Wednesday, March 18, 2008 with the company being renamed Ventra Salem, LLC on March 19, 2008. This is the same time Long alleges an improper termination and denial of medical benefits through COBRA.

Each and every employee was told from the first meeting with Flex-n-Gate that each employee of Blackhawk Automotive Plastics would have to fill out an application for employment. No one was guaranteed their position once the plastics company was purchased and renamed. Tardiness, excessive medical leaves and missed work days would be considered in the application process. If you were to be an employee of Ventra Salem, LLC, you would have received a welcome letter from your supervisor the day of purchase. If you did not receive a welcome Letter, your employment would not have continued with the new company and you would have been told by your supervisor.

Health insurance benefits would not be continued on the basis that Blackhawk filed bankruptcy and was purchased by an outside company. Blackhawk Automotive Plastics would have had to continue the coverage through Cobra and was not the responsibility of Ventra Salem, LLC to continue benefits for someone that was not hired by them. This is clearly stated on ViperHealthInsurance.com, "if there is no longer a health plan, there is no COBRA coverage available." Age would not have been a factor in the decision.

Although this is a devastating event, Ventra Salem, LLC can not be held accountable for continuing Jean Long's health coverage through Cobra. It is unfortunate that someone can be a continuous employee for the same plastics factory for more than 38 years. Throughout Ventra Salem, LLC many employees lost their position, even many months after the purchase by Flex-N-Gate. Most employees gossiped about how there would be another Valentine's Day massacre, in reference to the purchase of Worthington Custom Plastics, where several employees, mostly office workers were let go unexpectedly.

Sources:

Mary Ann Greir, http://www.salemnews.net/page/content.detail/id/515057.html?nav=5007, The Salem News

Viper Health Insurance, http://www.viperhealthinsurance.com/frequently-asked-cobra-health-insurance-questions.htm, Cobra Continutation Health Coverage FAQs

Angel Colon, Current Employee