Constitutional Law

Age Discrimination Reaching New Heights, Lows

Doing their part to buoy an abysmal legal market, laid-off workers over 40 are suing for age discrimination in unprecedented numbers. According to The Wall Street Journal (whose graphic appears below), employment discrimination suits are up 15 percent over 2007 and age discrimination is leading the way with a 29 percent increase over the same period.

The rise in age discrimination suits is peculiar in light of unemployment numbers for those over 40 (6.5 percent) as compared to younger workers (10 percent). However, an increased number of aging employees remaining in the workforce may account for the trend, in part.

It's also possible that employers are in fact engaging in age discrimination more during the financial meltdown. 'Senior staffers are generally the highest paid and have the most lucrative benefits,' noted David Grinberg, spokesperson for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Full post as published by ACS Blog on March 11, 2009 (boomark / email).