Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Johnson & Higgins, Inc.

**What Happened** The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Johnson & Higgins, Inc., an insurance company, over their retirement policy. The company required employee-directors to retire when they turned 60 or 62 years old, automatically ending their employment based solely on their age. **What the Court Decided** In June 1995, a federal court in New York ruled in favor of the EEOC. The judge granted summary judgment, meaning the case was so clear-cut that no trial was needed. The court found that Johnson & Higgins' mandatory retirement policy violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act because it forced employees out of their jobs based purely on age. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling reinforces important protections against age discrimination in the workplace. It establishes that employers generally cannot force employees to retire at a specific age just because of company policy. Workers over 40 are protected by federal law from being fired, demoted, or forced to retire simply because of their age. This decision helps ensure that employees can continue working as long as they're able to perform their job duties, regardless of reaching a certain birthday.