You are vice-president of human resources of a large pharmaceutical manufacturer. Your firm has a longstanding tradition of promoting from within. New hires are fresh college graduates with no experience, no advanced degrees. Your firm is being sued by Ed, a 45-year-old MBA, who has attempted to apply for a general manager job. He knows the position is available because the incumbent died and the obituary was public information. He is claiming age discrimination. Which of the following discrimination defenses should be employed?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best defense in this situation is a seniority system. The company has a longstanding tradition of promoting from within, which could be considered a seniority system. This defense would argue that the promotion decision was based on seniority and not on age, and therefore not discriminatory. The other options listed, such as the 4/5 rule, McDonnell-Douglas Test, geographical comparison, and performance ratio comparison, are not applicable in this scenario.

You Are Vice-President of Human Resources of a Large Pharmaceutical