Supreme Court Ruling Favors Employees in Age Discrimination Suits
The New York Times reported on June 20th that a Supreme Court ruling has made it easier for older workers to argue that they are being discriminated against based on their age.
The case, which was decided in a 7 to 1 ruling, concerned two dozen workers from a New York federal research laboratory. When the federal government required that the laboratory reduce its workforce, the contractor who ran the lab fired thirty one employees, of whom all but one were over forty.
The plaintiff contended that the language used in the Age Discrimination section of the Employment Act of 1967 put the burden of an age discrimination suit on the employer, rather than on the employee. Justice David H. Souter agreed with the argument, asserting that the employer must provide “reasonable factors other than age” to protect from liability.
This decision is a significant step in protecting older employees from being discriminated against. If you feel that you may have been unfairly treated because of your age, please feel free to contact us for an initial consultation at no cost.
