Bloomberg Law
April 6, 2020, 2:31 PMUpdated: April 6, 2020, 8:01 PM

Justices Back Lenient Test in Federal Worker Age-Bias Suits (2)

Hassan A. Kanu
Hassan A. Kanu
Legal Reporter

Federal government workers may have an easier time proving allegations of workplace age discrimination as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case against the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The justices decided 8-1 that those employees have to satisfy a more lenient standard, known as the “motivating factor” test, to prove that they were fired, disciplined, or denied promotions because of their age. Workers will still need to pass a stricter test, known as the “but-for” standard, in order to get remedies like reinstatement to their job, or monetary damages, the court held.

The motivating factor test ...