Scripps Clinical Medical Group has settled an age and disability discrimination charge filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after it subjected a class of physicians to a mandatory retirement age, regardless of the individuals’ abilities to do the job, the federal agency announced today. The EEOC investigated the allegations and found reasonable cause to believe that Scripps Clinical Medical Group violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Without admitting liability, Scripps Clinical Medical Group has entered into a four-year conciliation agreement with the EEOC. According to the agreement, the company will provide $6,875,000 to a class of individuals impacted by the company’s mandatory retirement age policy. Additionally, Scripps has rescinded its mandatory retirement policy based on age and its Board of Directors will reaffirm this recission. Scripps will inform employees of the recission and clarify that the company does not have any policy in which age is a factor in making employment decisions, including termination, retirement, and terms and conditions of employment.
