Wal-Mart Wins in Age Bias Suit Based on Honest Belief

A Wal-Mart store manager’s honest belief that a 62-year-old’s disciplinary history justified her firing protects the company from age bias liability, a federal appeals court ruled (Richardson v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 6th Cir., No. 15-1142, 9/9/16).

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. policy calls for an employee’s termination when the worker receives four disciplinary actions, which the company calls “coaching,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said. Store manager Mark Darby followed company policy by firing Reva Richardson after she violated a workplace safety rule that resulted in a fourth “coaching” incident, the court said.

Richardson offered no ...