Sued Insurance Broker Closing Down

A Melville insurance brokerage hit by a federal age-discrimination lawsuit is closing down.

PJP Health Agency Inc. filed a WARN letter--Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice--with the state Labor Department on Oct. 29, but listed Oct. 21 as the date it laid off 55 workers in Melville and another 40 in Manhasset.

WARN letters are generally required of New York State private sector companies that employ more than 50 and are supposed to be issued 90 days before closing.

The company's notification of the state Labor Department cited its loss of operating license as the reason for its closing. 

Newsday reported that in July, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued  the company, claiming that managers there made profane, derogatory, age-related comments to three employees over the age of 40. They were later replaced with younger workers. The company and its lawyer have declined to comment on the allegations.