Mary Fossier worked nearly three decades in Disney's legal department and rose to senior vice president. On Thursday, October 8, she sued the company for age discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination in the Los Angeles Superior Court, according to the lawsuit published by Deadline and EFE.
Why it matters: more Latino workers are reaching their 50s and 60s in the labor market. Federal law protects those 40 and older, but the deadlines for filing claims are short, and many are unaware of them.
According to the filing, in her first meeting on October 24, 2023, her new supervisor, Louise Pentland, told her she «needed to think about retiring» and asked what she had done to prepare for retirement. Fossier was 64 at the time and, according to the lawsuit, planned to work at least another decade.
The lawsuit claims Fossier complained to Human Resources at least three times about her supervisor's comments and treatment, and that the company took no action. It also alleges she was fired in an internal personnel reduction called «Project Coco» and speaks of a «clear pattern» by Disney of choosing older workers for layoffs. These are accusations that have not yet been evaluated by a court.
The case was filed under California law (FEHA), not federal law. It includes five claims: discrimination, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination contrary to public policy, and negligence. Fossier is seeking a jury trial, compensation for lost income, and unspecified damages. Before suing, she filed a complaint with the California Department of Civil Rights on October 6 and received permission to sue the same day.
The lawsuit comes after several rounds of cuts at Disney this year, the most recent at the end of September, according to EFE.
In recent weeks, other age-related cases have advanced in federal courts:
EEOC data show an increase, but not a record. Formal age-related complaints (called «charges») fell to 11,500 in fiscal year 2022 and rose to 16,353 in fiscal year 2025, a 42% increase over three years. Still, they are far below the 2008 peak of 24,582, during the financial crisis, and the over 20,000 per year recorded in the mid-2010s.
In fiscal year 2025, the agency obtained $106.9 million for age discrimination victims through its administrative process, not counting what was achieved in lawsuits. These figures do not include complaints filed only with state agencies.
Sources: EFE; Deadline; Fossier v. The Walt Disney Company lawsuit (via Deadline); EEOC, age-related charge statistics (Table E5a); EEOC (Scheels); EEOC (Enterprise); Bloomberg Law (Smithfield); EEOC, age discrimination; EEOC, filing deadlines. Data consulted on October 9, 2026.
