A 60-year-old drilling supervisor was fired and replaced by a 38-year-old worker. The company claimed he refused to report for work; he claimed age discrimination. A jury found the company's explanation was not believable and ruled the firing was intentional age discrimination under federal law. The appeals court upheld the verdict, confirming that circumstantial evidence—like a suspicious replacement—can prove age discrimination even without direct statements about age.
Document your stated reasons for termination carefully. If a reason is later proven false or inconsistent, courts will assume discrimination was the real motive.