SANDUSKY, Ohio — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that Cedar Point's parent company, Cedar Fair, will pay $50,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit that was previously filed by the EEOC.
According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Cedar Fair and Magnum provided housing for out-of-town seasonal employees at below-market rates. However, during Cedar Point's 2021 and 2022 seasons, they implemented a policy that didn't let employees 40 and older, except entertainers, live in the housing, according to the lawsuit.
As a result of the policy, out-of-town workers 40 and older could not resume their seasonal employment at Cedar Point due to the "economic barriers created by the housing ban." Officials say that the housing policy was rescinded at the start of the 2023 season.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio alleged that the conduct violated the "Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which prohibits the denial of equal terms, conditions, and/or privileges of employment, based on an individual’s age (40 years and older)."
“We are pleased that Cedar Fair and Magnum have agreed to an early resolution of this litigation and have rescinded the housing policy denying housing benefits to older seasonal workers,” said Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office.
In addition to the monetary relief for former employees affected by the age barrier, the five-year consent decree settling the suit provides for "systemic non-monetary relief intended to prevent further age discrimination, including a commitment that Cedar Fair and Magnum will continue to utilize a housing policy that will not discriminate against employees age 40 and older, implement a revised ADEA policy, and provide training on the ADEA for management personnel responsible for employment decisions and policies for Cedar Point, as well as individuals responsible for managing and implementing the housing benefits and policies for Cedar Point."
“Older workers comprise a vital component of the seasonal workforce at theme parks and other entertainment venues. Employers must take care to comply with the ADEA in all aspects of employment,” said EEOC Cleveland Field Office Director Dilip Gokhale.
The full decision can be read below:
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