Allstate, bottom-rung of insurers, settles discrimination suit by employees

The Associated Press reported on September 11 that Allstate Insurance Company will pay $4.5 million dollars to settle an age discrimination suit brought by 90 employees.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had assisted the employees, who apparently established that Allstate's effort to treat its sales agents as "independent contractors," discriminated against agents over 40.  Apparently ninety percent of the agents who were not "re-hired" or re-assigned (or whatever you do when you fire people and then hire some back as "independent contractors") were over 40.  Allstate is well known among lawyers and judges for cutting corners and abusing civil procedure whenever an extra few pennies of profit might be at stake.