Overview
Agenda quoted Michael Dockterman in a November 6 article titled "'Too Old' to Be CEO — Bias Charges in Succession Plan." The article discusses a lawsuit filed by an executive who is suing his employer for age discrimination after he was allegedly told he was next in line for the CEO role and then allegedly told he was too old to assume the role.
Dockterman says that litigation centered on claims regarding succession plans don't arise often. One reason is that, if the executive is that well qualified, they might not want to harm their chances elsewhere. Although, Dockterman says, being involved in litigation with a former employer isn't always a deterrent and doesn’t necessarily ruin chances for future employment, in all cases, depending on the claims being brought.
For most companies, Dockterman says, they're "pretty responsible" with their succession plans. "If it turns out that your route up is no longer available, they work with you to find something because they want to have a good reputation," he adds. "They want to be able to attract folks to senior management roles, and when there's a personal reputation that you have a kind of a cutthroat relationship, or that you undermine people who are seeking those roles, you’re not going to attract the best talent."
The full article can be read at Agenda (subscription required).
