The corporation formerly known as Raytheon could go to court over claims that it has discriminated against older workers for years.
Lawsuit Against RTX
A class-action lawsuit was filed against multination defense contractor RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, over claims of age discrimination in the workplace.
AARP Involved
The complaint was filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Tuesday. It was filed by the AARP Foundation, a non-profit advocacy group for Americans 50 years and older, and two law firms.
Claims Over Hiring Process
The three organizations represent a 67-year-old Virginia resident named Mark Goldstein, who has alleged that the Arlington, Virginia-based defense company prioritizes college graduates over older applicants during its hiring process.
Federal and State Violations
If true, this could violate several state and federal laws: the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act, and the Virginia Human Rights Act.
Young Applicants Wanted
Goldstein has claimed that the company reserves positions for recent graduates and people who have less than two years of industry experience, usually in their 20s.
Filling Recent Graduate Positions
The claims are based on RTX job posts that are advertising “Recent Graduate Positions,” referring to people who have only been in the relevant industry for a short period, which would discount many older and experienced applicants.
Deterring Older Workers
“The language and content of these job advertisements discourages and deters many older workers from even applying for the Recent Graduate Positions,” the filing reads.
Blocking Advancement for Older Workers
The complaint claims that these descriptions also “prevent older workers who do apply from advancing in the hiring process because too much time has passed since they graduated … and/or entered the workforce.”
40 Years of Experience
According to the complaint, Goldstein is an experienced professional with an extensive background spanning 40 years in “project management, cybersecurity, technology, risk management, security engineering” and other areas. He has also worked as a US Department of Homeland Security contractor.
Applied to Seven Positions
Despite his experience, Goldstein applied to seven of these “recent graduate positions” between 2019 and 2023 and failed even to secure an interview.
Other Plaintiffs Potentially Involved
While Goldstein is the only plaintiff who has been named so far, the case has purported to represent a number of “similarly situated” individuals who may join the case directly at a later date.
Desirable Across the Board
Despite calling for recent graduates, the positions are relatively high-paying, with some offering salaries that run higher than $100,000. These are positions that many older, experienced workers would still seek out.
“Illegal” and “Unacceptable”
William Alvarado Rivera, the senior vice president for litigation for AARP, slammed the company in a public statement, calling the job advertisements “illegal” and “unacceptable.”
Americans “Living and Working Longer Than Ever”
“Americans are living and working longer than ever, yet unfair and discriminatory hiring practices are keeping older workers from jobs they’re qualified for,” he said. “Raytheon’s intentional discrimination against experienced job candidates, simply because of their age, is illegal and unacceptable.”
RTX Denies the Claims
However, RTX has vehemently defended themselves and dismissed the case, with company spokesperson Chris Johnson issuing a statement calling the claims “entirely without merit.”
Defending Their Hiring Practices
“We will actively defend our hiring practices,” Johnson continued, claiming that RTX “complies with all relevant age discrimination laws and we’re committed to maintaining a diverse workforce.”
100 Years in America
RTX Corporation is the largest aerospace and defense company in the world, and while it has undergone its fair share of scrutiny during its 100 years of activity, this is the first time it has been sued for age discrimination.
Sending a Message
Peter Romar-Friedman, one of the lawyers representing Goldstein on the case, described the lawsuit as a “strong message” to RTX and other companies to deter them from excluding older workers from the application process.
Changing Demographics in the Workplace
The lawsuit comes at a time when older Americans are increasingly staying in the workplace for longer and are raising the issue of age discrimination from major companies.
Older Workers Have Doubled
According to Pew Research Data released in December, approximately 20% of Americans over the age of 65 are still employed. This number has almost doubled in the last 35 years.
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