Toennies v. Quantum Chemical Corp.

OPINION

ERIC ANDELL, Justice.

In this employment discrimination case, we are asked to determine if the trial court erred in submitting a jury charge that asked if appellant, Ralf Toennies, was discharged “because of’ his age rather than asking if his age was “a motivating factor” in his discharge. We reverse.

Facts

The appellant, Ralf Toennies, had worked for years as an engineer for DuPont when appellee, Quantum Chemical Corporation, in 1987, bought the facility where he was employed. Quantum promoted Toennies to Senior Principal Engineer in 1989.

Toennies’s evaluations from 1987 to 1992 showed…