Sprouts Farmers Sued by Worker Over Alleged ‘Systemic Age Bias’

Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. has engaged in “systemic age discrimination,” according to a worker’s lawsuit alleging her was denied advancement opportunities based on his age.

Dale K. McClendon—a 60-year-old team member at Sprouts since June 2022—says that the supermarket chain has a policy requiring assistant store managers to have graduated with a bachelor’s degree within the past year. This policy discriminates against older workers, according to McClendon’s lawsuit filed Jan. 3 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

McClendon alleges he was denied promotion opportunities despite an excellent performance record. He claims his hours were cut ...