Posted on 08/18/2011 4:53:59 AM PDT by Puppage
A 61-year-old man who claims he was fired from his Jones Beach lifeguard job of 40 years because he refused to wear a Speedo for the yearly swim test is suing the state for age discrimination.
Roy Lester believes neither he nor any other man his age has any business wearing the skimpy swimsuit.
“I wore a Speedo when I was in my 20s,” Lester, who was 58 when he says he was forced out of his lifeguard post in 2007, told the Daily News. “But come on. There should be a law prohibiting anyone over the age of 50 from wearing a Speedo.”
Lester argues that the Speedo requirement was implemented to force aging lifeguards like him off the beach.
He filed two previous age discrimination suits against the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation – one in 2008 and one a year later; both were dismissed.
Just last week, an appeals court ruled that his lawsuit could proceed. It could go to trial in Nassau County in the next two years, reports the News.
State officials declined comment.
State policy requires male lifeguard candidates to wear “boxer, briefs or board shorts” during the annual 100-yard swim they must complete in a minute and 15 seconds.
State officials did not tell the News whether a Speedo-specific clause was in place when Lester showed up to take his swim test in 2007.
According to city regulations, lifeguards are required only to don a bathing suit for the test; the specific size and type of the suit aren’t referenced.
The few hundredths of a second that a Speedo racing suit offers over Speedo swim trunks are not going to help you that much.
Next - Burger King and McDonald’s employees sue for being forced to wear THEIR uniforms.
Can lawsuits by police and firemen be far behind?
Want.
Three cheers for Roy!
Hip hip Hurray!
Hip hip Hurray!
Hip hip Hurray!
As someone who used to live in Miami, all I can say is, "Preach it Lester!"
"Preach it, ROY!"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.