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Article: Supreme Court's Term Ends In Mixed Bag For Employers.(Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory)(Case overview)
- Article from:
- Mondaq Business Briefing
- Article date:
- July 7, 2008
- Author:
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2008 Mondaq Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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High Court Shifts Burden To Employers In Certain Age Discrimination Cases
The Supreme Court recently held that an employer defending an age discrimination claim on the basis of "reasonable factors other than age" (RFOA) has the burden to produce evidence of the defense and persuade the court or jury of its applicability. In Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, the employer alleged it had to lay off employees due to an involuntary reduction in force. To determine which employees would be discharged, the employer asked its managers to score subordinates based on performance, flexibility, and critical skills. As a result, 30 out of 31 people ages 40 and above ...