Age discrimination cases down but expected to be up

More age discrimination cases have to be on the way (see below). The age of the plaintiff in a age discrimination case is around 45 years old, so there may be more on the way. The average jury award in these types of cases also seems to be higher than either race or gender cases.


May 16, 2004, 6:24PM

Age discrimination hard to prove, but suits likely to grow
By DAVE CARPENTER
Associated Press

CHICAGO — The youngest baby boomers turn 40 this year, leaving an entire generation not only in the throes of middle age but also protected by federal law from age discrimination in the workplace.

Despite the big demographic shift, there's been no explosion of age discrimination charges so far. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received an annual average of 19,500 age claims over the past two years, down slightly from 1992-93, and claims actually declined 4 percent in 2003 from a year earlier.