A rotating panel of experts from the worlds of philosophy, psychology and religion offer their perspective on the dilemmas that come with living in Southern California.

Today’s question: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that workers who lose their employment to someone younger may sue for age discrimination, even if the replacement worker is over 40. In times of corporate downsizing, is age ever a legitimate consideration for employers seeking to eliminate positions?

Rabbi Donald Goor

Temple Judea, Tarzana

Abraham was called by God at age 75. Sarah gave birth to Isaac at age 90. And Moses, the greatest leader of the Jewish people, continued in his role until he died at age 120. Clearly, Jewish tradition teaches that age is not a barrier to taking on important roles in society. Age ought not be a barrier, even in times of downsizing. What is important, as we learn from Abraham, Sarah and Moses, is the ability of the individual to fulfill the demands of the position. However, our tradition does recognize that there is a time for retirement. In Prike Avot, from the Mishnah, 70 is the age whereupon a person becomes old.

The Rev. Ken Uyeda Fong

Pastor, Evergreen Baptist Church, Rosemead

I am part of a generation that diminishes the value of older people. Our American ethos itself celebrates the vitality of youth over the limitations of the aged. In a company that is racing to keep pace with the supersonic rate of change in today’s global marketplace, having older employees who cannot keep up or who will not make necessary changes can be a decided impediment. It would be quite tempting for an employer to use a person’s advanced age as a reason to eliminate him or her. However, in the attempt to supercharge the company with hot young blood, that employer may also be inadvertently eliminating some of its invaluable mentors. Age isn’t everything.

Father John P. Daly

Director, Center for Asian Business, Loyola Marymount University

As the population of the United States ages, this situation will be occurring more frequently. Companies are always tempted to replace older workers who draw a high salary with younger workers coming in at a lower salary. But I believe that these older workers have the right to sue in order to retain their position provided they have a good performance record. We know, too, that older persons have more difficulty finding new positions, and we should always remember that older persons bring their years of experience and wisdom to their work which are usually worth the extra salary. So it should make good business sense for companies to retain older workers.