US judge allows age-discrimination lawsuit against Musk’s X to proceed
US judge allows age-discrimination lawsuit against Musk’s X to proceed Al Jazeera English
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Social Media Platform X Accused of Age Discrimination in Layoffs
Lawsuit accuses social media platform of laying off employees aged older than 50 at a higher rate than others.
A California federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, of disproportionately laying off older workers when Elon Musk acquired the company last year.
US District Judge Susan Illston said on Tuesday the plaintiff in the proposed class action, John Zeman, had provided enough evidence that the mass layoffs had a greater impact on older employees to continue pursuing the case.
Zeman, for example, claimed X laid off 60 percent of workers who were 50 or older and nearly three-quarters of those who were older than 60, compared with 54 percent of employees younger than 50.
Illston ruled that the United States federal law banning workplace age bias allows plaintiffs to bring so-called “disparate impact” claims in a class action, an issue that has divided courts.
The judge dismissed a claim that X intentionally targeted older workers for layoffs, but gave Zeman a month to file an amended lawsuit fleshing out that claim.
Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The lawsuit highlights the importance of fair treatment of employees, regardless of age, in order to achieve decent work and economic growth.
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – The case raises concerns about potential age discrimination and the need to reduce inequalities in the workplace.
Shannon Liss-Riordan, Zeman’s lawyer, said, “This decision validates the arguments we are making that the discrimination claims can go forward.”
X did not respond to a request by the Reuters news agency for comment.
The lawsuit is one of about a dozen X is facing stemming from Musk’s decision to lay off about half of Twitter’s workforce beginning last November.
Those cases included various claims, including that X laid off employees and contractors without the required advance notice and that Musk forced out workers with disabilities by refusing to allow remote work and calling on employees to be more “hardcore”.
At least two lawsuits have claimed the company owes ex-employees $500m or more in severance pay. Twitter has denied wrongdoing in those cases.
Liss-Riordan also represents about 2,000 former Twitter employees who have filed similar legal claims against the company in arbitration.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
- Indicator: Proportion of employees aged 50 and older who have been laid off compared to employees younger than 50.
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SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
- Indicator: Proportion of older employees affected by mass layoffs compared to younger employees.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | Proportion of employees aged 50 and older who have been laid off compared to employees younger than 50. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. | Proportion of older employees affected by mass layoffs compared to younger employees. |
Analysis
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The article discusses a lawsuit accusing X (formerly known as Twitter) of disproportionately laying off older workers when Elon Musk acquired the company. This is relevant to SDG 8 as it relates to achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all. The specific target under SDG 8 that can be identified is Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
The article mentions that the plaintiff in the lawsuit claimed X laid off 60 percent of workers who were 50 or older and nearly three-quarters of those who were older than 60, compared with 54 percent of employees younger than 50. This indicates a disproportionate impact on older employees, which can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards achieving Target 8.5.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
The article also highlights the issue of age discrimination in the layoffs at X. This is relevant to SDG 10 as it relates to reducing inequalities. The specific target under SDG 10 that can be identified is Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
The article mentions that the plaintiff claimed a disproportionate impact on older employees in the layoffs. This can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards achieving Target 10.2.
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Source: aljazeera.com
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