Age Discrimination in the Workplace: 3M Company Settles Case

Age discrimination commonly refers to an employer having a bias towards workers who are over the age of 40. The stereotyping can lead to unlawful treatment where the older employee is denied employment, demoted, fired or treated unequally. When an employer does not take proper precautions to avoid age discrimination or they do not rectify an ongoing situation, they can be held accountable for an employee’s subjection to harassment, emotional distress and other forms of damages.

3M Company: Age Discrimination Lawsuit Settled (Clifford L. Whitaker, et. al. v. 3M Company)

3M has agreed to settle a lawsuit for discriminating against older workers to the tune of $12 million. The case involves a class action lawsuit that represented approximately 7,000 employees. The employer issued a statement that the settlement would help the company avoid an additional investment of time and legal fees, thus allowing them to continue growing their business and focusing on their customers.

The complaint had incorporated claims of systematic discrimination towards employees over the age of 46 from employment years 2001 to 2005. Management level workers stereotyped this class of workers as being less able or willing to employ or accept new methodologies.

Fighting Discrimination in California

When a California employer engages in this type of conduct, a worker has the right to fight it. Federal, state and local statutes have been enacted to safeguard every employee’s legal rights in the workplace. If you are the victim of employment discrimination, then you should contact a reputable California lawyer. At Shegerian & Associates, you will find qualified legal professional who are ready to help you!