Recently, a case that involved allegations of wrongful age and disability discrimination has been settled. The case involved a company that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claimed terminated a female employee based on a combination of her age and the fact that she had previously suffered a back injury. The company allegedly fired the woman only a few days after initially hiring her and shortly after learning of her previous back injury.

The EEOC brought a lawsuit in a federal court in New Mexico against the company in connection to these allegations, charging the company with violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

As we mentioned above, a settlement was recently reached in regards to this lawsuit. As part of this settlement, the company agreed to make a monetary payment to the fired employee and to take steps to prevent acts of discrimination against employees on the basis of age or disability. The fired employee will also reportedly be given a letter of reference by the company.

Age and disability discrimination by employers can be extremely harmful to employees. Such discrimination unfairly judges employees on the basis of characteristics which they have no control over, such as chronological age or disabling medical conditions, rather than on the basis of their ability to perform their essential job functions. Such discrimination is unlawful under federal law, as well as under many state laws and local ordinances, and no employee or applicant should be subjected to it.

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "EEOC Settles Disability and Age Discrimination Suit against DXP Enterprises," Feb. 6, 2012