By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas
Enterprise Leasing Company of Florida, LLC, which operates National, Enterprise and Alamo car rentals across most of Florida, violated federal law by intentionally failing to hire older workers based on their age for management trainee positions from January 2019 to present, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the EEOC’s suit, Enterprise recruits management trainees on college campuses and targets its interview questions at college experiences. Through its hiring process, Enterprise intentionally under-hires older candidates for management trainee positions in favor of younger candidates based on their age. For example, in October 2020, less than two percent of management trainees were age 40 or older.
Age discrimination against applicants aged 40 and over violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC filed suit in US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division (EEOC v. Enterprise Leasing Company of Florida, LLC, Case No. 0:23-cv-61744) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The agency seeks back pay and liquidated damages for a class of applicants subjected to unlawful age discrimination. The suit also seeks injunctive relief to prevent and correct age discrimination in the future and training of Enterprise’s hiring personnel about federal equal employment opportunity laws.
“This case underscores the need for the EEOC to combat ageism and break down barriers to employment for older workers,” said regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District Robert Weisberg. “The agency is committed to protecting the rights of job applicants to ensure that hiring decisions are not based on age, but on qualifications.”
The EEOC’s Tampa Field Office director, Tamra Schweiberger, added, “Older Americans are working longer, and in larger numbers than ever before. Thus, it is imperative that the EEOC defend the rights of these older workers at every stage of employment.”
The Miami District Office’s jurisdiction includes Florida, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.
The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.
