The search engine giant Google had a lawsuit filed against it citing age discrimination. Google’s former director of operations, Brian Reid, 54, claims Google discriminates against older workers.
Back in February of this year, Reid was fired. Google’s reasoning: he didn’t have enough “youth and energy”.
As a Google employee Reid made $200,000 per year and was offered approximately 119,000 Google stock options. The stock would have been worth an estimated $10 million dollars after the IPO according to usatoday.com.
While still employed by Google Reid claims he collected evidence that Google avoids hiring older workers. Only 2% of Google’s estimated 1,900 employees are over 40, according to zdnet.com. The suit also claims the average ages of Google workers were late twenties at the time of Reid’s departure.
Members of WebmasterWorld.com are questioning the above statement. A message posted by truthbetold says, “I wonder if it’s possible for the people here who have already condemned Google as the big bad corporation to admit that it’s POSSIBLE that this man was let go for performance. In a fair and just society, people are considered innocent until proven guilty. Those that are always anti-business are usually that way due to emotional reasons rather than any rational reasons in my opinion.
Google, denying all allegations, has said it believes that Reid’s claims are “without merit” and will “defend [itself] vigorously” mentioned on computerweekly.com.
One thing not mentioned in the suit is that the majority of Google’s upper-level management team is over the age of 40, including CEO Eric Schmidt, 48.
Jeremy Muncy is a staff writer for www.murdok.org
