Stamford faces age discrimination lawsuit

A Stamford volunteer firefighter is hot at the city for passing him over, allegedly because of his age, for a full-time position with the city”™s fire department.

Frank Maduri, 53, filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday, claiming that despite being ranked second on a civil service list, the city”™s fire commission did not hire him because of his age, a violation of both federal and state laws against age discrimination in employment.

According to his complaint, Maduri has been a volunteer firefighter in Stamford since 2005. When the city posted a notice that it was testing applicants for eight new firefighter positions, Maduri applied and scored an 18, ranking him second on the list, according to the complaint. Following interviews, Maduri was not among the eight firefighters hired. The group that was hired, Maduri alleges, was made up of substantially younger and less qualified candidates.

The case is pending before Judge Stefan R. Underhill in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Reached by email, officials with the Stamford Fire Department declined comment.