An elderly bartender had his hours cut at a Manhattan members-only club bec🌊ause of his age, he claims in a discrimination suit.
Miguel DeOliveria, 79, had been mixing drinks and serving food ဣat The River Club since 1986 for 35 hours a week — p🥀lus overtime — until April 2009, when he was reduced to just 14 hours, the suit says.
He was scaled back to just six hours a week꧂ in October, despit♌e his “satisfactory work performance,” according to the suit, filed in Queens Supreme Court.
Club spokesman Eric Ruehlmann said DeOliveria ꩲwas laid off, along with others who had similar “seniority” — either through age or experience.
“The club tempora🐼rily reduced the food and beverage operations in accordance with the terms of the union contract,” Ruehlmann said in a statement.
DeOliveria, who declined to comment further on the case, is seeking an unspecified amount for damage𝐆s.
He was described by neighbors at his Queens residence ꦛas a 💜“well-dressed” and “classy” man who enjoyed working despite a recent knee surgery.
The exclus𝓰ive River Club ♈occupies five floors of The River House co-op building at East 52nd Street and the East River. The 62,000-square-foot space was recently put on the market for the first time since 1931 for $130 million.