Robert Lilley sued BTM Corporation for age discrimination and retaliation after being fired. The court ruled that Lilley was properly classified as an employee and upheld his retaliation claim, awarding him $425,000 in damages plus attorney's fees and interest. For subcontractors, this case shows that courts broadly interpret who counts as an 'employee' under discrimination laws, and that firing someone in retaliation for complaining about age discrimination is illegal and costly.
Courts use a broad definition of 'employee' to protect workers under age discrimination laws—don't assume someone is a contractor just to avoid these protections