A hospital finance executive has filed a lawsuit against Maimonides Medical Center, alleging age discrimination after nearly two decades of service. Frank DeGratto, who worked at the hospital for 19 years, filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on December 20, 2024, accusing the hospital of violating federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
The lawsuit claims that Maimonides Medical Center marginalized DeGratto, a 67-year-old finance executive. According to the complaint, despite his performance and long tenure, DeGratto was sidelined in 2020 when the hospital began favoring his younger colleague, Ayesha Amin.
The lawsuit alleges that Amin, who is about 30 years younger than DeGratto, was given many of his responsibilities and replaced when DeGratto was terminated in 2023 at the age of 66.
DeGratto’s legal team argues that these actions were discriminatory based on age, violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), and New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL).
The complaint details instances where DeGratto was excluded from discussions about his role while Amin was included, and where key responsibilities were removed without prior consultation.
The lawsuit also claims that DeGratto’s workload increased significantly without a corresponding salary adjustment after changes in hospital leadership.
DeGratto is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, along with compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits. He also seeks punitive damages for what he describes as discriminatory actions by the hospital, as well as reimbursement for attorney fees and related costs.
The case is being handled by Outten & Golden LLP, with Amy F. Shulman serving as lead attorney for DeGratto. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:24-cv-08735.