Nardi v. Stevens Institute of Technology

# Nardi v. Stevens Institute of Technology Summary **What Happened** Nardi worked at Stevens Institute of Technology as a researcher. When the institute stopped funding his research program, he was terminated. Nardi sued, claiming the school broke its contract with him, committed fraud, and discriminated against him because of his age. **What the Court Decided** The court sided completely with Stevens Institute. The judge ruled that Nardi was an "at-will" employee, meaning the institute could fire him without cause. The court found that eliminating his research funding and restructuring the institute's priorities were legitimate business decisions—not efforts to get rid of him because of his age. Nardi received no damages. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that employers generally have broad power to eliminate positions due to business changes, even if those decisions affect older workers. Unless a worker can prove age was the real reason for firing them (not just a coincidence), it's difficult to win a discrimination claim. At-will employment means employers don't need traditional reasons to let workers go, as long as the reason isn't illegal.