The Maine Human Rights Commission this week sided with a former employee who has accused the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland of age discrimination.
The commission voted unanimously that there are reasonable grounds to believe the diocese discriminated against Reverend Monica Giordano, who worked for nearly 20 years as an administrative assistant in the Ellsworth parish. In 2023 Giordano was disciplined and then terminated by the diocese. She was 72 at the time.
Kristin Aiello represented Giordano before the commission.
"My client was a qualified long-standing employee, who was exercising her right, as a 72-year-old employee in the workplace, to exist without being harassed, demeaned and threatened because of her age," Aiello said.
Aiello told the commission that Giordano's supervisor, the parish priest, began remarking on her age two years ago
"He taunted her, 'You're old, you can't remember anything;' he threatened her, 'That day is coming Monica, given your age,'" Aiello said. "If this isn't intimidation, coercion and interference in an older person's right to exist in the workplace, I don't know what is."
In a statement, the diocese expresses disappointment in the vote and notes that a finding of reasonable grounds does not necessarily mean the commission believes Giordano will prevail at trial.
The case now moves into a conciliation process before the commission. If a settlement is not reached, Giordano has the right to pursue the claim in court.
