Hiring, firing, and age discrimination

When the edict came from above to cut his payroll by 50 percent, the chief engineer was faced with a dilemma. Which of his modest three person team should he let go? He had recently urged Smith, his senior man, to join him from another department within the company, specifically to prepare for a contract which, ultimately, was awarded to a competitor. Smith, age 42, was earning $36 000. Brent, on the other hand, was in the middle of an ongoing project that could enhance both the company's income and its reputation. Brent had five years of solid experience in the area of his project, was 26 years old, and earned $22 000. Jones was the newest member of the department — a bright, enthusiastic recent graduate. She was earning $14 000.