5136: Getting Their Day In Court.

From The Associated Press…

Look at Age Discrimination Cases

WASHINGTON -- A brief description of the five age-discrimination cases at the Supreme Court:

FEDEX: Whether employees forfeit their chance to pursue age discrimination lawsuits because the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission failed to notify an employer, in this case, FedEx Corp., of a complaint. (Federal Express Corp. v. Holowecki, 06-1322.)

ME-TOO: May a worker alleging discrimination based on age use testimony from other employees who claim they were similarly treated, even when they reported to different supervisors? (Sprint/United Management Co. v. Mendelsohn, 06-1221.)

DISABILITY: Does a benefit plan discriminate against older workers by denying disability payments to employees who are eligible for retirement? (Kentucky Retirement Systems v. EEOC, 06-1037.)

FEDERAL RETALIATION: Whether federal employees who claim age discrimination are protected from retaliation. (Gomez-Perez v. Potter, 06-1321).

BURDEN OF PROOF: A dispute over who bears the burden of proof in an age discrimination case—the workers over 40 who are challenging their dismissals or their employer, who says there is a reasonable explanation other than age for the layoffs. (Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Lab, 06-1505.)