Feds Sue CBS TV11 D/FW Over Age Discrimination

Tammy Dombeck

The government is suing CBS Stations Group of Texas over allegations that its Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate refused to hire a longtime traffic reporter because of her age.

According to The Dallas Morning News, KTVT-TV (Channel 11) violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act when it refused to hire Tammy Dombeck, allegedly because of her age, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Tuesday.

Lori Conrad, director of communications for Channel 11, said in an email Tuesday that "KTVT respectfully disagrees with the EEOC's current assessment and looks forward to resolving this matter."

Dombeck, 44, worked for Channel 11 as a "freelance, non-staff traffic reporter" beginning in February 2013.

After CBS 11's morning full-time traffic reporter resigned, Dombeck told the station's management of her interest in the position and applied for the job.

Dombeck did freelance fill-in work for Channel 11, and when the full-time traffic reporter left in October 2014, Dombeck's morning responsibilities increased, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in 2015.

The job requirements listed for the position said that the "ideal candidate" would have a strong knowledge of traffic in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and that applicants "must have at least 5 years professional broadcasting experience."

Channel 11 went on to hire a 24-year-old Chelsey Davis who, according to the suit, didn't have five years of professional broadcasting experience or any broadcast experience in Dallas-Fort Worth.