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See also the following sections of this website:

• Discrimination against people with disabilities, including in the workplace
• Gender discrimination in the workplace
• Racial/ethnic/caste/origin discrimination, including in the workplace
• Sexual orientation discrimination, including in the workplace
• AIDS/HIV discrimination, including in the workplace
• Labour issues - General

[under construction]

International standards:

United Nations & ILO websites:

Other websites:

Age: Novo Nordisk equal opportunities toolbox in Novo Nordisk equal opportunities toolbox (Novo Nordisk) 

Labor Law - Labor Law is a unique Internet database of detailed labor law reports and supply chain compliance resources [a paid service for subscribers] (Business for Social Responsibility)

Other materials:

2003:

ILO launches first global report on discrimination at work - Says workplace discrimination remains a persistent global problem, with new, more subtle forms emerging (International Labour Organization, 12 May 2003)

• full report: Time for Equality at Work (International Labour Organization, Apr. 2003)

Discrimination suit against Supervalu cleared for trial [USA] - Scratched out on a hotel memo pad, the notes referring to a restructuring plan at Supervalu Inc. included a harsh description of the purpose: "This is how we stay legal to eliminate the old people from the system and wipe the slate clean." (Julie Forster, Star Tribune, 28 Apr. 2003)

New fact sheets outline protections against discrimination by multinational employers - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) tomorrow will post two new fact sheets - "Employee Rights when Working for Multinational Employers" and "The Equal Employment Opportunity Responsibilities of Multinational Employers" - on the agency's web site. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 24 Apr. 2003)

• fact sheet: Employee Rights When Working for Multinational Employers (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

• fact sheet: The Equal Employment Opportunity Responsibilities of Multinational Employers (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) 

Supreme Court to Decide Age Discrimination Case [USA] - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would decide whether a federal law barring age bias in the workplace allows for reverse discrimination lawsuits by employees in their 40s who claim older workers are better treated.  The high court agreed to hear an appeal by a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp. arguing the law does not allow for such lawsuits. (James Vicini, Reuters, 21 Apr. 2003)

• High Court Accepts Age Case Bias favoring older workers is alleged [USA] (Newsday, 22 Apr. 2003)

Human rights ordinance nearly ready [Covington, USA] - Covington's proposed human rights ordinance is nearly in its final form and the lawyer the city hired to draft it predicts the local business community -- which had concerns about it -- will support it...The city since January has been considering expanding its human rights ordinance to ban discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status and parental status. The ordinance would apply to the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations. (Mike Rutledge, Kentucky Post, 16 Apr. 2003)

UK firms face £73 billion age discrimination bill - In the first year of the 2006 age discrimination legislation alone, employers may have to pay out £193 million in claims unless they start the process of compliance now, it has been warned...with an overall price for the legislation of £73 billion (HR Gateway, 3 Apr. 2003)

An Age Of Discrimination? The U.S. sees an increase in suits complaining of age and religious bias -...Although EEOC complaints are relatively easy to file, they face tough outcomes. Only about 20 percent of the complainants prevail. [refers to age discrimination complaint against Seal Dynamics; religious discrimination complaint against Computer Sciences Corp., Foot Locker Inc., Ford Motor Co.] (Carrie Mason-Draffen, Newsday, 23 Mar. 2003)

Discrimination plaguing UK workplaces - Nearly half of the British workforce has experienced discrimination at work, according to an alarming new survey...Age discrimination appears to be most rife in the UK workplace, with one in three staff complaining they have been discriminated against in this way. Just over one in ten felt they had suffered sexual discrimination, while just two per cent believed that had been unfairly treated because of their race. (Startups.co.uk, 22 Mar. 2003)

• Job seekers report age bias [UK] - Four people out of 10 believe they have suffered discrimination at work and many think their age is excluding them from the labour market, a survey will reveal today. (Alexander Jolliffe, Financial Times, 21 Mar. 2003)

Sun Hit With Discrimination Suit [USA] - In a class action suit against Sun Microsystems Inc., a former Sun employee claims the company discriminated against him and other employees when it layed off about 2,500 workers in 2001. Former Sun software engineering manager Walter Kruz...claimed that Sun engaged in age and race discrimination when it fired him and others. (Jeff Moad, eWEEK, 19 Mar. 2003)

Silver Bay man wins age discrimination lawsuit [USA] - The court rules the employer [Anderson Fuel and Lubricants Inc.] was wrong to demote the man after his heart surgery. - A Silver Bay man was awarded a $157,000 judgment after a court determined that a Superior company was guilty of age discrimination and reckless indifference to the Minnesota Human Rights Act in firing him. (Mark Stodghill, Duluth News Tribune, 18 Mar. 2003)

Lawsuit alleging age discrimination against Supervalu headed to trial [USA] (Ann Merrill, Star Tribune, 18 Mar. 2003)

AARP, Virginia Law Firm Sue Capital One [USA] - The AARP has joined an age discrimination lawsuit filed in Virginia against Capital One Financial Corp. (AP, 16 Mar. 2003)

Ex-firefighter sues DynCorp over dismissal [USA] - Skaggs' lawsuit alleges the company violated Americans with Disability Act and Age Discrimination Employment Act when it fired Skaggs, who is in his early 50s. (Jay F. Marks, Enid News & Eagle, 14 Mar. 2003)

Use kid gloves in handling claims of discrimination or harassment [USA] - There are simple ways employers can more effectively cooperate with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission while creating a better environment for the resolution of employment issues. These guidelines will minimize both the risk of claims and potential liability should a claim be asserted. (Stephen W. Schueler, Winstead Sechrest & Minick PC, in Houston Business Journal, 14 Mar. 2003)

Employers 'wide open' to discrimination claims [UK] - UK employers are leaving themselves wide open to discrimination claims according to the Work Foundation. The survey of business recruitment practices found that firms were failing to monitor racial and sexual diversity amongst jobseekers...It is illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants on the basis of sex, disability or race.  It will soon become illegal to discriminate on grounds of age, sexual orientation and religion. (BBC News, 10 Mar. 2003)

AT&T Research to Pay $75,000 in Bias Case - AT&T Research Laboratories is to pay $75,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of a 50-year-old man denied a job in favor of an applicant almost half his age. (AP, 7 Mar. 2003)

Allstate Lawsuit Could Be Largest Age Discrimination Case [USA] - Twenty-nine employees at U.S. insurer Allstate Corp. are seeking class-action status for an age discrimination lawsuit alleging the company targeted older workers when it phased out its Neighborhood Office Agents (Business for Social Responsibility summary of 2 Mar. 2003 New York Times article, 5 Mar. 2003)

EOC says Britain needs modern equality law - Britain needs modern and consistent equality law that reflects how society has changed over the last 30 years, Julie Mellor, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) said today..."Today women play a far more important role in the workplace and in public life and men take on more family and caring responsibilities. Gay and lesbian people are increasingly visible in all walks of life, and as life expectancy increases older people can expect to lead active lives for longer.  However, inequality and prejudice haven't gone away. Single parents, pensioners and the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities are still among the poorest groups, and women in these groups are even poorer than men." (Equal Opportunities Commission [UK], 28 Feb. 2003)

Beverly Hilton Hotel to pay $220,000 to Group of Job Applicants in Age Bias Case (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 26 Feb. 2003)

2002:

Gulfstream Aerospace to pay $2.1 million for age bias in EEOC settlement - Commission Alleges Class of Older Workers Targeted for Layoffs at Georgia Facility (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 11 Dec. 2002)

Older workers are just the job [UK] - A leading campaigner for older people in Norwich has called for a faster introduction for new employment laws making it illegal to discriminate on age. Legislation on employment discrimination on the grounds of age is set to become illegal by 2006 to fall into line with European Union law. But Brenda Arthur, chief officer for Age Concern Norwich wants the Government to make the changes to the law sooner. (Evening News [UK], 4 Dec. 2002)

EEOC [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] settles major age bias suit; Foot Locker to pay $3.5 million to former Woolworth employees (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 15 Nov. 2002)

Schroders faces ageism suit [UK] - Michael Dobson, chief executive of fund management group Schroders, has been accused of firing the head of the firm's US operation because she was too old for the job at 55. (Jill Treanor, Guardian [UK], 9 Oct. 2002)

• Banking giant faces £20 million 'ageism' lawsuit [UK] - British investment bank Schroders is facing a multi-million-pound lawsuit claiming the firm discriminates on the grounds of age. (Ananova, 9 Oct. 2002)

UK fights landmark older worker ruling - The UK government is to appeal against a "landmark" tribunal decision, which could mean that hundreds of thousands of people working past the age of 65 could get new work rights. (Sarah Toyne, BBC News, 2 Oct. 2002)

Working against time - Middle-aged workers say they are finding that their laugh lines and crow's-feet are getting in the way of finding jobs or getting promotions [USA] -...Age discrimination on the job, once thought to be the bastion of the geriatric set, is now catching the attention of baby boomers as they move through their 40s and 50s. (Melanie Payne, Sacramento Bee, 23 Sep. 2002)

Age discrimination bill OK'd by Legislature [California] - If you're over 40, you would get additional job protections under a bill approved by the California Legislature on Wednesday. The measure now goes to Gov. Gray Davis, who has not expressed his opinion on it. (East Bay Business Times, 16 Aug. 2002)

Ocala jury rules Florida Power innocent of age discrimination [USA] - A federal jury has ruled that Florida Power Corp. did not discriminate against a dozen older workers who were fired seven years ago. (Daytona Beach News-Journal, 11 Aug. 2002)

Workplace-bias curbs extended [Massachusetts, USA] - Law extends time to file complaints - A bill to extend the deadline for filing workplace bias and sexual harassment charges against employers has been signed into law, increasing the statute of limitations for such claims in Massachusetts from six months to 300 days. (Diane E. Lewis, Boston Globe, 9 Aug. 2002)

Discrimination suits take big risks for big rewards [USA] - Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore is among a dozen or so law firms nationwide that have become part of a cottage industry in class-action lawsuits against large employers, alleging racial bias in their hiring, promotion and pay practices. The law firms...also sue on behalf of workers who believe they are being denied equal opportunity because of gender, age, disability and other factors. (Robert Luke, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5 Aug. 2002)

Former chairman denies age bias [USA] - Florida Progress' former chairman says older workers were not discriminated against in a mid 1990s downsizing. Former Florida Progress chairman and chief executive Richard Korpan, remembered for slashing hundreds of jobs at Florida Power, denied that he condoned age-based discrimination when he downsized the utility in the mid 1990s....Twelve former employees are suing the company claiming age discrimination. (Louis Hau, St. Petersburg Times, 31 July 2002)

7-Eleven settles age discrimination suit [USA] - Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. has reached an agreement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to settle an age discrimination lawsuit. The suit...alleged that the convenience store chain failed to promote a 58-year-old employee to an executive assistant position based on her age (Dallas Business Journal, 29 July 2002)

AT&T sued for alleged age discrimination [USA] - Telecommunications giant AT&T is being sued for allegedly rejecting a man in his 50s for a job at its Florham Park laboratory because he was too old. (Rob Seman, Daily Record [New Jersey, USA], 26 July 2002)

Over 40? Firms can deny you perks [California, USA]: State high court rules against older workers - In a blow to California workers over 40, the state Supreme Court ruled today that employers are free to discriminate against older workers in awarding college tuition and other on-the-job benefits. (Harriet Chiang, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 June 2002)

Court OKs Amex Discrimination Settlement [USA] - A federal court has approved a $31 million settlement of a nationwide gender and age discrimination lawsuit against American Express Co.'s financial advisers unit, plaintiffs' lawyers said on Monday. (Reuters, 17 June 2002)

Age-bias claims up 23% over two years [USA]: It is the fastest-growing category of discrimination cases. Complaints tend to rise as layoffs increase. - On June 6, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Philadelphia office filed a lawsuit against Honeywell, seeking class-action status. (Jane M. Von Bergen, Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 June 2002)

UK to make it harder to discriminate on age - UK ministers are heading for a confrontation with business over plans to use new rules to make it harder for employers to discriminate against the over-50s. (Christopher Adams & David Turner, Financial Times, 3 June 2002)

Court upholds arbitration contract [USA] - The Texas Supreme Court today upheld a company's [Brown & Root Energy Services, a subsidiary of Halliburton Co.] right to impose a non-negotiated binding arbitration contract on a longtime employee [alleging race & age discrimination] who claimed it was unfair. Consumer and labor groups criticized the ruling as eroding Texas workers' rights to sue employers for wrongdoing. (Associated Press, 30 May 2002)

BSR Unveils Labor Law Database: Web-based Tool to Improve Labor Compliance and Safeguard Human Rights in the Supply Chain - Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) today unveiled Labor Law, a unique Internet database of labor law reports and supply chain compliance resources. Compiled from hundreds of primary sources, Labor Law will provide users with independently verified, in-depth reports on more than 60 countries' labor requirements relevant to corporate codes of conduct - from child labor and discrimination to working hours and wages. (Business for Social Responsibility, 21 May 2002)

• Labor Law - Labor Law is a unique Internet database of detailed labor law reports and supply chain compliance resources [a paid service for subscribers] (Business for Social Responsibility)

Chicagoans to Charge Discrimination Against MCI, WorldCom [USA]: Past and present employees of MCI and WorldCom in Chicago have banded together with some 150 others across the nation to levy a class action lawsuit for having allegedly faced sex, race, disability, age and religious discrimination on a daily basis. (Adam Fendelman, ePrairie.com, 2 Apr. 2002)

Supreme Court Throws Out Age Appeal [USA]: The Supreme Court reversed course Monday and said it would not decide whether older employees have similar rights as minorities in discrimination claims. By backing out of the hot case, the court delayed a decision that would affect millions of aging workers — possibly negatively. (Gina Holland, Associated Press, 1 Apr. 2002)

High court ruling nicks the protective coating of arbitration policies [USA]:...Arbitration clauses have become common in most business agreements, including employment contracts...In a recent case, EEOC v. Waffle House Inc., the US Supreme Court has declared that the EEOC [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] may go to court to seek all available remedies for alleged job discrimination regardless of the employer-employee agreement to resolve their disputes through binding arbitration. (Andrew Grainger & Thomas Royall Smith, Boston Globe, 24 Mar. 2002)

EEOC issues fiscal 2001 enforcement data [USA] - Statistics Show Age Bias and Disability Discrimination Charges on the Rise (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 22 Feb. 2002)

Wage cuts for bank employees 55 and over is unlawful [Japan]: The Sendai High Court on February 12 ordered Michinoku Bank in Aomori City in northern Japan to pay 71 million yen to its six former employees, saying that the bank's rule to cut wages for employees aged 55 and over is unlawful. (Japan Press Service, 13-19 Feb. 2002)

2001:

U.S. [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] Sues Allstate [Allstate Insurance Company], Whose Agents Cite Age Discrimination (Joseph Treaster, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2001)

Ford to File Motions to Settle Suits [USA]: Ford Motor Co. plans to file motions next week with proposed settlement terms in a pair of age discrimination class actions lawsuits filed by current and former employees...Negotiations to settle the individual suits have been less fruitful (Ed Garsten, AP, 30 Nov. 2001)