SUPREME COURT: The Supreme Court made it easier Wednesday for any worker over 40 to allege age discrimination, ruling that employers can be held liable even if they never intended harm.
THE NUMBERS: About 75 million people – roughly half the nation’s work force – are covered by the decision.
WHAT IT MEANS: Older workers now have less of a burden to raise their claim in court when suing under federal law, although ultimately it may still be hard for them to win. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote that in some cases employers are within their rights to treat workers differently because of age.
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