Health care firm accused of ageism must pay ex-worker over $190,000

A U.S. district judge has ordered a defunct Hono­lulu-based home health care services company to pay more than $193,000 to a woman allegedly fired due to her age, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Alan Kay ordered Hawaii Healthcare Professionals Inc. — also known as Hawaii Professional HomeCare Services Inc. — and its owner Caro­lyn Frutoz-de Harne to pay $193,236, resolving an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC against the home health care company in 2010.

Hawaii Healthcare Professionals is dissolved, according to records filed with the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

The case involves Frutoz-de Harne firing Debra Moreno in 2008. Moreno was at the time a 54-year-old office coordinator at the company’s Maui facility.

According to the EEOC, Frutoz-de Harne made disparaging remarks about Moreno looking and sounding old on the telephone.

Frutoz-de Harne said at the time that the EEOC’s claim — which includes the contention that she said the employee looked "like a bag of bones" — had no merit. She could not immediately be reached for comment.