Class Status Granted in X Age Discrimination Suit

A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that roughly 150 older workers who were laid off by social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in 2022 can sue the company for age discrimination as a class action. The lawsuit, initiated by John Zeman in 2023, alleges that 60% of employees aged 50 or older and nearly three-quarters of those over 60 were dismissed compared to 54% of younger employees. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston stated that there is substantial evidence to suggest age discrimination may have occurred during the mass layoffs initiated by Elon Musk. This ruling allows Zeman's lawyers to notify potential class members, offering them a chance to join the case. X has denied allegations of discrimination, asserting that layoffs were part of broader restructuring efforts. This lawsuit is among several legal challenges X faces following Musk's acquisition and subsequent workforce reductions.