Ex-Michigan State Staff Member Sues the University for Race, Age Discrimination

A former Michigan State University employee who was fired from his position is suing the university in federal court for race and age discrimination.

Zhongxiao Michael Chen, 59, claims in a two-count lawsuit filed March 11 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan that the university terminated him because of his race, national origin and age, and replaced him with a person in an equivalent position who was younger and a “natural-born” U.S. citizen.

Chen, who identifies as a Chinese-American of Asian descent, was a senior academic specialist and quality assurance director in the MSU Analytical Laboratory until November 2022. He is seeking back pay for the time he was without a job, and reimbursement for relocation fees to a new job. He is also seeking the full retirement benefits from the university. He said in the suit he was two years away from achieving full retirement benefits for 25 years of service.

Read the source article at Lansing State Journal