Three former cafeteria workers at Woodland Hills Junior High School have filed a federal lawsuit against the food services contractor there claiming age discrimination.

Laureen Ingelido, of Trafford, and Angela M. Ohodnicki, of Murrysville, allege that they were terminated by Nutrition Inc. because their health benefits were too costly for the company.

Adele M. Perry, of Braddock Hill, is also named as a plaintiff.

All three women began working for Nutrition Inc., of West Newton, in the late 1970s, and they are all in their 60s.

Ms. Ingelido worked as an assistant cook, Ms. Perry was a general food worker, and Ms. Ohodnicki was the kitchen manager.

According to the lawsuit, filed Thursday, the women were terminated in October for allegedly violating the company's policy of removing objects from the cafeteria. The items removed included tin foil and six chicken nuggets.

"Any objects removed from the cafeteria by plaintiffs were either waste [such as the discarded foil] or of essentially no value."

They called the reasons for termination either "false or preposterous," and said that younger workers regularly removed items from the cafeteria and were not disciplined.

The women are seeking damages, as well as reinstatement to their former positions.

A call to Nutrition Inc. seeking comment was not returned.