Age Discrimination Case Studies: Real-Life Examples of Workplace Injustice
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Welcome to our collection of examples of age discrimination in the workplace, based on the real-life experience of individuals who have faced age-related bias, prejudice, and unlawful treatment in their professional lives. These case studies shed light on the challenges, legal implications, and consequences of age discrimination, highlighting the importance of upholding workplace fairness and protecting the rights of older employees.
Each case study provides a unique perspective, presenting the background, details, and outcomes of the discrimination cases. By exploring these narratives, you'll gain valuable insights into the complexities of age discrimination, the legal frameworks that protect employees, and the significance of fostering inclusive, age-diverse workplaces. Age, Gender and Disability Discrimination
Jane, an accomplished Administrative Manager with 13 years of dedicated service, found herself facing age, gender, and disability discrimination at Reflexis. As she approached 78, questions about retirement plans arose, hinting at age bias. In a shocking turn of events, Jane's fall in an elevator led a company executive to instruct her to "go home," marking the beginning of her remote work arrangement.
Despite her resistance, Jane continued to work remotely for eight months before being abruptly terminated without justification. Her ordeal highlights the harsh realities of workplace discrimination. It also highlights how the combination of age, gender, and physical impairments can create acute discrimination challenges in the workplace. Read more here. Age and Health Discrimination
Meet Ms. A, a seasoned insurance industry professional with an impressive thirty-year career under her belt. Her journey into a battle against age discrimination and wrongful termination began when she joined an insurance agency later in her career. In her role as Assistant VP, Ms. A's dedication and competence were evident, earning her accolades in two consecutive annual performance reviews.
However, personal challenges and health issues led to a turbulent period. Ms. A faced reprimands for taking time off due to her mother's passing and her own illness. Her relationship with her younger supervisor grew strained, with suspicions of age-related discomfort. Ms. A's health crisis nearly claimed her life, but her absence while in intensive care was met with disapproval from Human Resources. Despite diligently working from home during her recovery, Ms. A's health struggles continued. Eventually, her termination came as a devastating blow, citing "poor attendance" as the pretext. Read more here. Age Discrimination Against a Fitness Instructor
Dive into the case study of Michelle, a 54-year-old Pilates instructor with a 17-year tenure at a Massachusetts fitness center. Michelle's journey within the fitness industry saw her transition from an independent contractor to a W-2 employee with a unique compensation structure. However, her employment took a troubling turn as age-based comments from her supervisor began to permeate her work environment, insinuating that her age was affecting her compensation and creating a hostile workplace.
Amidst these challenges, Michelle faced unexpected responsibilities providing essential care to a family member with a serious health condition, requiring her to seek flexibility in her work schedule. Despite her initial request for accommodation, her general manager's failure to act left her in a difficult position. As Michelle's termination neared, her supervisor once again raised concerns about her age and compensation, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. Despite her efforts to defend her position and offer alternative solutions, the tension between Michelle and her employer escalated, ultimately leading to her termination. Read more here. |
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Age and Disability Discrimination Against a Salesperson
Explore James' case study, where he alleges age discrimination against his former employer, a medical products company. With an impressive eight-year sales career, James consistently exceeded quotas. However, his life took a turn when diagnosed with cancer, impacting his health.
In February 2022, he was informed of the elimination of his sales territory, with vague promises of another role. Shockingly, all three employees chosen for layoff were over 55, James being the oldest, while his territory remained active with a younger replacement. Read more here.
In February 2022, he was informed of the elimination of his sales territory, with vague promises of another role. Shockingly, all three employees chosen for layoff were over 55, James being the oldest, while his territory remained active with a younger replacement. Read more here.
Meet Our Employment Lawyers
Emily Smith-Lee is the owner and founder of slnlaw. She is a 1996 graduate of Boston College Law School. She was previously a partner at the Boston office of a large international firm, where she worked for thirteen years before starting the firm that became slnlaw in 2009. She has been recognized as Massachusetts Superlawyer each year since 2013, and in 2018 earned recognition as one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly's Lawyers of the Year. She has written a book on employment law: Rules of the Road, What You Need to Know About Employment Laws in Massachusetts, and helped thousands of clients on both the employee and employer side with severance and non compete review and negotiation, wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation disputes, and advice about employment law generally.
Rebecca Rogers: Rebecca is a 2006 graduate of Boston College Law School, and has worked with slnlaw since 2013. She previously worked as an intellectual property litigation attorney for Fish & Richardson in Boston, Massachusetts, and clerked for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Rebecca has helped clients with wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination and retaliation claims, review and negotiation of severance and non compete agreements, and advice to both employees and employers about navigating complex employment situations.
Jenna Ordway: Jenna is a 2013 graduate of Quinnipiac Law School, and also earned an LLM in Taxation from Boston University in 2015. She has been affiliated with slnlaw since 2011, first as a law clerk and then as an attorney. Jenna has been recognized since 2019 as a "Rising Star" by Massachusetts Superlawyers. Jenna has helped clients with review and negotiation of severance and non compete agreements, wage and hour disputes, employment and discrimination claims, and advice to small business owners about employment law and other business matters.
Elijah Bresley: Eli is a 2014 graduate of Seton Hall Law school, and has worked with slnlaw since 2020. He previously worked for a boutique employment law firm outside of Boston, and then for the Labor and Employment department of a large Boston firm. He also spent a year clerking for the judges of the Superior Court in Hartford, Connecticut. Eli has helped clients on the employee and employer side with all varieties of employment law issues, including employment discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour issues, litigation in MCAD and state and federal courts, and advising employers about employment policies and practices.
Sharleen Tinnin: Sharleen is a 2010 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, and has been with slnlaw since 2023. Prior to joining slnlaw, she worked with King, Tilden, McEttrick & Brink, P.C. on complex civil litigation matters. She previously worked for the United States Department of Justice, and received an "Excellence in Justice" award in 2017. Sharleen has helped clients with wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation disputes, review and negotiation of severance agreements, and litigation in MCAD and state and federal courts on employment related issues.
How We Can Help
Other employment cases we have handled include claims of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identify under Massachusetts law. We have also filed and settled claims based on religious discrimination and retaliation for taking medical leave.
We can help you assess whether you have a discrimination claim and secure any compensation you are owed. You can use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or give us a call at 781-784-2322.
We can help you assess whether you have a discrimination claim and secure any compensation you are owed. You can use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or give us a call at 781-784-2322.
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