With age comes wisdom, or at least that is the old saying. While we all value the insight of older, wiser people in our personal lives, employers in Minnesota may not feel the same way about older workers at their business or organization. In fact, some employers may view older workers as a liability.
Why would older workers be viewed as a liability? Well, there might be several reasons that an employer might put forward. For instance, in physically demanding jobs, the employer might feel like an older employee would be more prone to injury – and thus a workers’ compensation claim, or the need for an extended period of time off of work. Or, an older worker might be seen by an employer as resistant to changes – in technology, in efficiency practices or even in the direction the company is going.
However, there is one major “liability” that employers are probably thinking about, first and foremost: the higher wages they need to pay to older, more experienced employees. We all know that businesses are all about the “bottom line,” and sometimes companies will sacrifice the talent and experience of older workers to increase profits.
Does your employer view older workers as a liability? If so, it may be time to start thinking about the merits of an age discrimination lawsuit. Workers in Minnesota who have a valid age discrimination claim can seek compensation for these types of illegal practices by employers. For more information about how our law firm might be able to help with your case, please visit the age discrimination and harassment overview section of our website.
