Age-discrimination complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have risen more than 24 percent over the last two years. Experts believe the increase has been caused by the combination of a weak economy and an aging workforce. Some believe there is a tendency to target older workers for cuts because they are perceived as costing more to employ and less likely to keep up with new technologies. Age-discrimination cases can be difficult to prove, especially in the case of failure to hire because applicants are often not given the reason why they were not selected.
See "As Layoffs Rise, So Do Age-Discrimination Charges", Shaifali Puri, The New York Times, March 17, 2003