AARP Calls New EEOC Policy "A Civil Rights and Economic Fiasco"

Source: AARP Press Center | December 27, 2007

WASHINGTON— AARP Legislative Policy Director David Certner gave the following statement today in response to a new Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rule.

"This policy is a civil rights and economic fiasco. It is a wrong-headed move to legalize discrimination, allowing employers to back off their health care commitments based on nothing more than age.

"This is far more than an age issue. The costs of health care are skyrocketing for everyone, from the corporate board room to the kitchen table. By transferring health care costs, the EEOC merely passes the buck to those who can little afford it.

"It's time to stop shifting costs and start controlling them. Our country needs real solutions to control the rising costs of health care. Political, business, union, and non-profit leaders, as well as individuals, all have roles to play in making sure that every American has access to affordable health care."