06-27-2017
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has charged Fort-Worth based Atlas Resource Partners with violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). William Hutto, a 52-year old production foreman, was fired from the company despite his record of strong performance. Prior to his termination, Hutto had never been disciplined. According to the EEOC, Mr. Hutto was a strong and capable worker who was highly regarded by his peers, and that the production superintendent who terminated Hutto also made ageist comments regarding Hutto's co-workers, including the repeated remarks about being "too old to do the job."
This type of alleged conduct violates the ADEA, which prohibits employers from discriminating based on age. According to the EEOC Dallas District Office Regional Attorney, "This is a straightforward case of someone being put in charge who arbitrarily decides to pull the plug on someone else's job. When that kind of action is based on a worker being in his 50s, rather than on qualifications, productivity or conduct, it not only fails to take advantage of some of a company's best assets, but violates federal law."
Experts told the EEOC at a recent public meeting entitled "The ADEA @ 50 - More Relevant Than Ever" that persistent age discrimination and stereotypes about older workers continue to channel older workers out of the workforce, limiting further economic growth.