Reuters -- Eli Lilly and Co was sued by the U.S. on Monday. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accused the drugmaker of illegally refusing to hire older workers for sales representative jobs because of their age. The complaint said that Lilly's violations began after Stephen Fry, its senior vice president for human resources and diversity, lamented at Leadership Town Hall in April 2017 that its sales force was skewed toward older workers, with 20% fewer millennials than the American workforce.
According to the EEOC, Fry suggested that the lack of millennials was a problem, and the Indianapolis-based company would target 40% Early Career hiring.
Managers changed their hiring practices for sales representatives, sometimes requiring more review and approval before extending offers to older candidates, even though some recognized that the 40% goal was illegal, the EEOC said. It added that the target was still in place through 2021.
In a statement, Lilly denied the accusations and said it was committed to fostering and promoting a culture of diversity and respect. The lawsuit filed in Indianapolis federal court accused Lilly of violating the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
It wants to permanently enjoin future discrimination, obtain back pay and other damages for people not hired because of their age, and improve training for supervisors and managers.
Robert Weisberg, a EEOC lawyer who helped bring the case, said in a statement that the case underscores the need for the EEOC to break down barriers to employment for older Americans as they work longer and in larger numbers.
After more than 35 years at the company, Lilly said Fry would retire at the end of 2022.
The case is EEOC v Lilly USA LLC, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, No.