The Washington Post quietly settled an age and race discrimination suit filed by former advertising executive David DeJesus, who is black and who claimed that discrimination was the reason he was terminated by his white boss in 2011 after an 18-year career.

The Washington Post said he was fired for “willful neglect of duty and insubordination.” A three-judge appeals court last year cleared the way for a jury to hear the case after reversing a ruling by the lower court that initially tossed the suit.

“A jury could properly conclude that the Washington Post’s proffered reason [for the termination of DeJesus] is so unreasonable that it provokes suspicion of pretext,” the appeals court said.

The settlement was first reported by Observer.com.

Morris Fischer, a Washington, DC, employment lawyer not involved in the case, said it is likely that the defendant made a substantial settlement offer to avoid a trial.

A spokeswoman for the Washington Post, Kris Coratti, said she could not comment on the case. Neither DeJesus nor his lawyer, Cherie Morganroth, returned calls.