Chief Justice Asks if ‘OK, Boomer’ Enough to Show Age Bias (1)

If someone says, “OK, Boomer,” to a job applicant, would that be significant enough to show age discrimination, Chief Justice John Roberts asked as a hypothetical in one of two cases this term focused on how courts should analyze discrimination lawsuits in the private and government sectors.

“Is that actionable?” the chief justice asked, referring to a recently popularized phrase meant to dismiss concerns from baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964.

The line of questioning came during oral arguments Wednesday in a case brought by Norris Babb, who alleges the Department of Veterans Affairs denied her promotion ...