Peter A. Steinmeyer, a Member of the Firm in the Labor and Employment practice in the Chicago office, was quoted in an April 14, 2008, article in the Chicago Tribune on the increasing vulnerability of older workers due to higher incomes, despite laws that forbid age-related discrimination.
The article, "Greater Pay Putting Older Workers at Risk," noted that while it is illegal to dismiss older workers based on age, courts have ruled that cost-cutting is permissible as a reason to dismiss higher paid employees, even if the cuts fall disproportionately on workers who are older than age 40.
"When a company's looking to cut expenses, those who are most heavily compensated are most heavily at risk," said Steinmeyer. The number of age-discrimination charges filed with the EEOC is up 21 percent compared with a decade ago, while total charges climbed less than three percent.