Labor & Employment Law

In an Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) action claiming a wrongful demotion, the lower court had instructed the jury to enter a verdict for the plaintiff if he proved, by a preponderance of the evidence, that he was demoted and his age was a motivating factor in the demotion decision. 

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the jury verdict holding that a plaintiff bringing an ADEA disparate-treatment claim must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that age was the "but-for" cause of the challenged adverse employment action. Read more...