EEOC Sues AT&T, Says Policy Banning Rehire of Early Retirees Is Age Bias
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued AT&T, claiming the company’s refusal to consider rehiring early retirees amounts to age discrimination.
The suit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court says the policy against rehiring those who took early retirement has an adverse impact on older workers, according to stories in the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), the Associated Press and the Washington Post.
EEOC lawyer Louis Graziano told the Post the AT&T policy against rehiring the experienced workers doesn’t make any sense. “The government doesn’t prohibit you from having a policy that makes no sense, but if it adversely affects workers over 40, then it violates the law,” he said.
AT&T released a statement saying it does not tolerate discrimination of any sort. “AT&T makes diversity and inclusion a top priority, and has received national recognition for its programs and performance,” the statement said.
