Feb 12, 2021
AARP, AARP Foundation and NELA Urge U.S. Court of Appeals to Reverse “Sole Cause” Decision that Threatens Older Workers
WASHINGTON AARP, AARP Foundation and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) are urging the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to reverse an appeals court ruling in an age discrimination lawsuit,
Pelcha v. MW Bancorp, Inc. The appeals court ruling could have far reaching implications that would make it even more difficult for older workers to prove claims of illegal age discrimination.
Melanie Pelcha, a former Ohio bank teller dismissed at age 47, disputes the three-judge Court of Appeals panel’s decision that in order to prevail in her civil rights case, she had to prove that age was the “sole cause” of her termination. This ruling will make it harder to enforce longstanding protections under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which covers workers age 40 and over.