From Asset to Outcast: An Engineer’s Age Discrimination Story

Abbas Sizar, a highly accomplished engineer with over 35 years of experience, built a distinguished career managing complex rail and transit system projects. Armed with both MS and BE degrees in electrical engineering and registered as a Professional Engineer in nine states, he was a recognized expert in his field. Yet, after years of stellar performance and multiple promotions at the global engineering firm Mott MacDonald, Mr. Sizar found his career derailed, not by a professional misstep, but allegedly by discriminatory practices that favored a younger, less qualified colleague. This is the story of how a celebrated “asset” was systematically pushed aside and ultimately terminated.

A Record of Excellence

In October 2013, Mott MacDonald hired Mr. Sizar as a Senior Project Manager, relocating him from Philadelphia to Seattle for a key assignment. His impact was immediate and profound. Performance reviews from early 2014 lauded him for successfully taking the lead on a high-stakes project. His supervisors, Paul Heydenrych and Steve Mauss, noted, “The client is satisfied with Abbas, and he has done an excellent job… Abbas is certainly an asset to our team.”

This praise continued throughout his tenure. By late 2014, he was managing several additional contracts for one of the company’s “most difficult clients,” Sound Transit. His dedication was so apparent that Mr. Heydenrych wrote, “expectations seem to require more than 40 hours a week from our staff, especially Abbas.” In recognition of his success, the company transferred him to Los Angeles with a nearly 12% raise.

Under his new supervisor, Daniel Tempelis, Mr. Sizar’s star continued to rise. His 2015 review described him as “a great asset” and a “go-to person for quick turnarounds.” Mr. Tempelis himself supported Mr. Sizar’s ambition to become an associate, promising to “work with him toward this goal.” By 2016, Mr. Tempelis was championing his promotion, stating, “I will do what I can to support Abbas’ promotion.” These weren’t empty words; Mr. Tempelis regularly praised his performance, granted him an extra week of paid vacation for his hard work, and moved him from a cubicle to an office.

Following these consistent accolades, Mr. Sizar was promoted to Principal Project Manager in 2017, later appointed as an Associate in 2018, and then a Senior Associate in 2019. His career trajectory was a textbook example of success built on merit, dedication, and expertise.

A Disturbing Shift in Treatment

The professional climate for Mr. Sizar changed dramatically in the spring of 2018. After a brief medical leave for a serious health condition, he returned to work and noticed a chilling shift in his supervisor’s behavior. Mr. Tempelis, who had once been his biggest advocate, allegedly began treating him less favorably.

More troublingly, Mr. Tempelis started making inappropriate and persistent inquiries about Mr. Sizar’s age, health, and retirement plans—questions prohibited by state and federal employment laws. When Mr. Sizar asserted that he had no intention of retiring and planned to work until at least age 75, Mr. Tempelis reportedly expressed skepticism, suggesting he should reconsider.

This line of questioning continued into his annual performance review in September 2018, which veered from a discussion of his work to a renewed pressure campaign about retirement. It was during this period that a younger man, Glenn Breindel, was hired for a position on Mr. Sizar’s team. Though Mr. Sizar interviewed and approved Mr. Breindel, who was roughly 50 years old and less experienced, Mr. Breindel was subsequently shut out of the hiring process.

In a surprising move, Mr. Tempelis hired Mr. Breindel not for the role he applied for, but as a Principal Project Manager—the same title as Mr. Sizar—and made him a direct report. When questioned, Mr. Tempelis simply stated, “I have big plans for Glenn.”

Sidelined for a Younger Successor

What followed was a systematic erosion of Mr. Sizar’s role. He was instructed to train Mr. Breindel and ensure that Mr. Breindel had enough billable work. Projects that would have naturally fallen to Mr. Sizar were instead assigned to the less experienced Mr. Breindel. It became clear that the younger colleague was being groomed to replace him.

By December 2019, Mr. Tempelis informed Mr. Sizar that he would now report directly to Mr. Breindel. During this meeting, Mr. Tempelis again raised retirement, noting that they were “both getting too old to work” and that it was time to pass the duties to “younger individuals.” When Mr. Sizar voiced his concerns that age discrimination was at play, Mr. Tempelis offered no denial, only remarking that Mr. Breindel was the “future of the company.” The marginalization culminated in February 2020, when Mr. Sizar was forced to vacate his office for Mr. Breindel.

Mr. Sizar escalated his complaints to Mr. Tempelis’s supervisor, Tony Purdon, who acknowledged his value to the company but failed to follow up. The message was clear: his years of service and stellar performance were being disregarded.

Termination Under the Cover of Crisis

On March 19, 2020, Mott MacDonald transitioned to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s leadership assured employees that there were no imminent layoffs. In fact, policies were announced to protect jobs through measures like pay cuts and deferred bonuses.

Yet, on April 2, 2020, Mr. Sizar was locked out of the company’s system. In a brief call with Human Resources and Mr. Breindel, he was informed his employment was terminated, effective immediately, with COVID-19 cited as the reason. He was one of only two employees in his division, out of nearly 85, to be let go.

The company allegedly used the global pandemic as a pretext to carry out a plan that had been in motion for nearly 2 years: replacing an older, experienced engineer with a younger, less qualified one. This action deprived Mr. Sizar of the job protection measures the company had just announced, leaving him unemployed during an unprecedented global crisis.

Seeking Justice for Unlawful Discrimination

The story of Abbas Sizar is a stark reminder that even the most accomplished professionals can become victims of age discrimination. After years of being hailed as an invaluable asset, he was systematically undermined and ultimately discarded. His experience highlights a pattern of behavior where loyalty and expertise are overshadowed by a discriminatory preference for youth.

If you believe you have been treated unfairly, demoted, or terminated because of your age, you are not alone, and you have rights. Federal and state laws protect employees from such discriminatory practices. Seeking legal counsel can help you understand your options and hold employers accountable for their unlawful actions.