Class Certified in HP Age Discrimination Case

A class was recently certified in an age discrimination case against computer company Hewlett-Packard in California. This is one of multiple lawsuits currently faced by the company for its allegedly discriminatory hiring and firing practices against workers over the age of 40. Age discrimination is a serious issue for many employees across the state, and it is important to know your rights if you believe that your employer is denying you rights and benefits at work because of your age. To learn more about your legal options, talk to an experienced California employment law attorney today.

HP Age Discrimination Claims

According to the latest lawsuit filed against Hewlett-Packard and its related company, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, five former employees claimed that the company violated the ADEA and California laws by targeting older employees within the business using its “Workforce Restructuring Initiative” and replacing them with younger workers. According to the lawsuit, the company implemented a multi-year initiative aimed at making the company younger by replacing thousands of older employees through the use of a workplace reduction plan that actually did not reduce the number of employees. It merely pushed out the older workers and actively recruited younger workers.

The court approved the motion to certify a class for a class action case against the company, finding that the five plaintiffs were all similarly situated as they were all over the age of 40 when they received termination notices, received very similar documentation about their termination, and were all terminated under Hewlett-Packard’s workforce reduction program.

What is Age Discrimination?

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, age discrimination is defined as treating a worker less favorably than others because of their age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids discrimination based on age in the workplace against employees who are 40 years old or older. Age discrimination is an umbrella term for a number of different adverse actions that may be taken against a worker based on their age, including the following: 

• Hiring
• Firing
• Pay rate
• Job assignments
• Promotions
• Demotions
• Training opportunities
• Benefits
• Scheduling
• Any other condition of employment

It is also illegal under the ADEA to harass an employee based on their age, including offensive remarks about their age, derogatory remarks, and other harassment that is consistent and constitutes a hostile work environment for that employee. Finally, it is illegal for an employer to implement any type of employment practice or policy that will have a negative impact on workers over the age of forty years old if it is not based on any reasonable factor other than age. To learn more about age discrimination, talk to a lawyer today.

Call or Contact a Lawyer Now

Have you or a fellow employee faced discrimination in the workplace because of age? If so, you may have a claim under state and federal law for age discrimination against your employer. To learn more about your legal options, call or contact an employment law attorney in your area today.