The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently
reversed its prior decision and upheld an Illinois district court
ruling that the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
does not protect job applicants from disparate impact claims. But
beware, as this seemingly apparent win for employers in Illinois,
Indiana, and Wisconsin may drive employees to bring their claims
under more forgiving state anti-discrimination laws, which often
provide for greater damages.
Case background and decision
The plaintiff in Kleber v. CareFusion Corporation, No.
17-1206, 2019 WL 290241 (7th Cir. Jan. 25, 2019) was a 58-year-old
attorney who applied for and was denied a general counsel position.
The job posting sought an attorney with three to seven years of
experience. CareFusion hired a 29-year-old attorney for the role.
In his lawsuit, Kleber argued that CareFusion's "cap"
on experience effectively weeded out older applicants.