Age A Discrimination Factor In Wrongful Terminations

The Harvard Business Review recently posted a story providing summaries of a number of possible wrongful termination and discrimination cases that were all linked because of the type of discrimination that might have occurred. In each case, a woman who was older in age — usually above 60 years of age — reported being discriminated against because of her age.

In one case, a 64-year-old woman was working as a bartender. She had been in the same position at the bar for over ten years when the bar was sold to new owners. According to the woman, the new owners let her go because of her age. She said before the sale was even final, the new owners openly disparaged her because of how old she was and that she was a woman. Reportedly, they told her she was too old to do the job and they hired younger people to take her place.

In another case, a woman who worked in an office environment for insurance companies was moved under a new boss. The woman was over 60 years old and her new boss, who was also a woman, was approximately 20 years younger. According to the older woman, the new boss started placing heavier workloads on her — workloads that were more than what was required of other workers. The boss also gave her a poor review and fired her a few days after that review despite a policy that required a 90-day period to improve.

In both of these cases, the women are claiming wrongful termination because of age, and they are not alone. There are many other cases across the country that are similar. If you are one of those cases and you don’t know what to do, then consider speaking with an experienced discrimination attorney in Sacramento. A lawyer can help you understand your options and what actions you can take to seek compensation or resolution for the situation.

Source: Harvard Business Review, “Older Women Are Being Forced Out of the Workforce,” Lauren Stiller Rikleen, March 10, 2016