United States Eighth Circuit

In an interlocutory appeal in an employment age discrimination lawsuit considering whether an employer-defendant's rehire policy can be challenged under a disparate-impact theory of discrimination, the circuit court rules that: 1) the rehire policy at issue is an employment policy under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and thus can be challenged under a disparate-impact theory; and 2) plaintiff established a prima facie case of disparate impact by demonstrating that the rehire policy served to deprive more older workers than younger workers of employment opportunities with the employer.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/10/2008
• Published 06/10/2008

Judges

• BRIGHT, Circuit Judge., Before MELLOY, BRIGHT, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Donald R. Livingston, argued, Washington, DC (Stephen H. Rovak, and Michael M. Godsy, St. Louis, MN, Richard C. Godfrey, Sallie G. Smylie, and Donna M. Welch, Chicago, IL, Donald R. Livingston, Paul E. Mirengoff, Nathan J. Oleson, and David A. Rappaport, Washington, DC, on the brief) for appellant., Robin S. Conrad, and Shane Brennan, Chamber of Commerce of United States, Rae T. Vann, and Ann Elizabeth Reesman of EEOC, Washington DC, for Amici Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Julie Loraine Gantz, argued, Washington, DC (Ronald S. Cooper, Carolyn L. Wheeler, Vincent J. Blackwood, on the brief) for appellee.