The case in question involved 31 employees of a federal research laboratory who were let go during downsizing. Of the employees fired, all but one was over the age of 40. They contended that the reasons why they were fired were not justifiably equitable, and they disproportionately affected the older workers.

This ruling has important implications because older workers have a particularly tough time finding jobs after involuntary unemployment. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, “displaced workers face difficulty finding new employment; when they do find work, their new jobs pay, on average, about 13% less than the jobs they lost, and more than one-fourth of those who had health insurance on their old jobs don't have it at their new ones.” For many, this leads straight to homelessness. A 2005 survey found that 10.3% of the nation’s sheltered homeless persons were between 51 and 61 years old.

Given the sour state of the economy, the astronomical price of health care, gas, and food, it’s good to know that as companies seek to downsize, older workers, especially those with health problems or near retirement, have a new layer of protection.