kentucky retirement systems et al equal employment opportunity commission argued january decided june kentucky permits hazardous position workers policemen receive normal retirement benefits working either years years attaining age pays disability retirement benefits workers meeting specified requirements kentucky plan calculates normal retirement benefits based actual years service plan calculates disability benefits adding employee actual years service number years employee continue working order become eligible normal retirement benefits adding number years employee previously worked charles lickteig continued working becoming eligible retirement age became disabled retired age filed age discrimination complaint respondent eeoc plan based pension actual years service without imputing additional years eeoc filed suit kentucky others collectively kentucky arguing plan failed impute years solely lickteig became disabled age district granted kentucky summary judgment holding eeoc establish age discrimination sixth circuit ultimately reversed ground plan violated age discrimination employment act adea held kentucky system discriminate workers become disabled becoming eligible retirement based age pp adea forbids employer discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual age emphasis added plaintiff claiming disparate treatment intentional discrimination must prove age actually motivated employer decision hazen paper biggins emphasis added hazen paper found without evidence intent dismissal based pension status dismissal age noting though pension status depended upon years service years service typically go hand hand age two concepts analytically distinct dismissal issue based purely pension status embody evils prompting adea based prohibited stereotype older workers produce attendant stigma workers result inaccurate denigrating generalization age however noted discrimination based pension status violate adea pension status proxy age pp applying hazen paper circumstances taken together show differences treatment particular instance actually motivated age age pension status remain analytically distinct concepts several background circumstances eliminate possibility pension status serves proxy age rather individual employment decision issue complex systemwide rules involving wages pensions benefit adea treats somewhat flexibly leniently respect age congress otherwise approved programs social security disability insurance calculate disability benefits using formula expressly takes account age disparity clear rationale plan disability rules track kentucky normal retirement rules imputing additional years service needed bring disabled worker total number years individual worked worked age thus disability rules purpose treat disabled worker though become disabled rather become eligible normal retirement benefits age factors disability calculation normal retirement rules permissibly consider age plan simply seeks treat disabled employees worked point eligible normal pension thus disparity turns upon pension eligibility nothing although plan placed older worker disadvantage cases rules work advantage older workers may get bigger boost imputed years younger workers kentucky system rely sorts stereotypical assumptions work capacity older workers relative younger workers adea sought eradicate plan assumptions disabled worker continued work beyond point disabled pension eligible involve stereotypes apply equally workers regardless age nature plan eligibility requirements means unless kentucky severely cut benefits disabled workers yet pension eligible increase benefits available disabled workers lacking clear criteria determining many extra years impute already older difficulty finding remedy correct disparity achieve plan legitimate objective providing disabled worker sufficient retirement benefit suggests objective age actually motivated plan opinion way unsettles rule statute policy facially discriminates based age suffices show disparate treatment adea dealing quite special case differential treatment based pension status pension status explicit blessing adea turns part age rule dealing sort case clear employer adopts pension plan includes age factor employer treats employees differently based pension status plaintiff state claim adea must adduce sufficient evidence show differential treatment actually motivated age pension status pp federal government additional arguments rejected since hazen paper provides relevant precedent adea amendment made light public employees retirement system ohio betts beside point contrary interpretation contained eeoc regulation compliance manual lead different conclusion pp reversed breyer delivered opinion roberts stevens souter thomas joined kennedy filed dissenting opinion scalia ginsburg alito joined kentucky retirement systems et petitioners equal employment opportunity commission writ certiorari appeals sixth circuit june justice breyer delivered opinion commonwealth kentucky permits policemen firemen hazardous position workers retire receive normal retirement benefits either working years working years attaining age see rev stat ann lexis lexis supp permits become seriously disabled otherwise become eligible retirement retire immediately receive disability retirement benefits see lexis treats disabled individuals generously treats became disabled becoming eligible retirement basis age question us whether kentucky system consequently discriminates latter workers age age discrimination employment act adea act stat conclude kentucky put place special retirement plan plan state county employees occupy azardous position active duty law enforcement officers firefighters paramedics workers correctional systems see rev stat ann lexis supp plan sets forth two routes employee become eligible called normal retirement benefits first makes employee eligible retirement years service second makes employee eligible years service provided employee attained age see employee eligible either route receive pension calculated way kentucky multiplies years service times times final preretirement pay see kentucky plan special provisions hazardous position workers become disabled yet eligible normal retirement employee worked five years became disabled line duty employee retire see lexis calculating employee benefits kentucky add certain number imputed years employee actual years service number imputed years equals number years disabled employee continue working order become eligible normal retirement benefits years necessary bring employee years service least years service employee turn whichever number years lower see lexis thus employee years service becomes disabled age plan adds years calculates benefits employee completed years service employee years service becomes disabled age plan adds year calculates benefits employee retired age years service plan also imposes ceiling imputed years equal number years employee previously worked employee worked eight years receive eight additional imputed years see provides certain minimum payment see lexis contains various details none challenged charles lickteig hazardous position worker jefferson county sheriff department became eligible retirement age continued work became disabled retired age plan calculated annual pension basis actual years service years times times final annual pay lickteig became disabled already become eligible normal retirement benefits plan impute additional years purposes calculation lickteig complained age discrimination equal employment opportunity commission eeoc eeoc brought age discrimination lawsuit commonwealth kentucky kentucky plan administrator state entities shall refer collectively kentucky eeoc pointed lickteig become disabled reached age plan calculating lickteig benefits imputed number additional years eeoc argued plan failed impute years solely lickteig became disabled reached age district making appropriate assumptions eeoc favor see fed rule civ proc held eeoc establish age discrimination granted summary judgment defendants favor panel sixth circuit affirmed judgment eeoc jefferson cty sheriff sixth circuit granted rehearing en banc held kentucky plan violate adea reversed remanded proceedings kentucky sought certiorari light potentially serious impact circuit decision upon pension benefits provided plans effect many granted writ see ind code west comp laws ann west stat ann lexis stat tit purdon supp code ann supp see also reply brief petitioners predicting inter alia large increase pension liabilities potential reduction benefits disabled persons brief national association state retirement administrators et al amici curiae ii adea forbids employer fail refuse hire discharge individual otherwise discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual age emphasis added hazen paper biggins explained plaintiff claims disparate treatment intentional discrimination age plaintiff must prove age actually motivated employer decision emphasis added see also reeves sanderson plumbing products noted employer may relied upon formal facially discriminatory policy requiring adverse treatment age employer may motivated age ad hoc informal basis hazen paper hatever employer decisionmaking process plaintiff alleging disparate treatment succeed unless employee age actually played role process determinative influence outcome ibid emphasis added cf smith city jackson plurality opinion describing theory issue focuses upon unjustified discriminatory results hazen paper considered disparate treatment claim employer unlawfully dismissed employee years service order avoid paying pension benefits vested years held without evidence intent adea forbid dismissal claim dismissal based pension status dismissal age course pension status depended upon years service years service typically go hand hand age two concepts nonetheless analytically distinct ibid employer easily take account one ignoring ibid dismissal question based purely upon pension status related years service embody evils led congress enact adea first place dismissal based prohibited stereotype older workers produce attendant stigma workers result inaccurate denigrating generalization age time hazen paper indicated discrimination basis pension status sometimes unlawful adea particular pension status served proxy age suppose example employer target ed employees particular pension status assumption employees likely older case hazen paper suggested age pension status actually motivated employer decisionmaking hazen paper also left open special case employee vest pension benefits result age rather years service consider variation special case theme iii kentucky plan turns normal pension eligibility either upon employee attained years service alone upon employees attained years service reached age adea permits employer condition pension eligibility upon age see supp thus must decide whether plan lawfully makes age part condition pension eligibility treats workers differently light pension status automatically discriminates age government argues yes following hazen paper approach come different conclusion particular following circumstances taken together convince us particular instance differences treatment actually motivated age first matter pure logic age pension status remain analytically distinct concepts hazen paper say one easily conceive decisions actually made pension status age even pension status based age suppose example employer pays retired workers pension retirement eligibility turns age say worker retires nothing language logic prevents one concluding employer begun pay worker pension worker simply worker retired second several background circumstances eliminate possibility pension status though analytically distinct age nonetheless serves proxy age kentucky plan cf consider individual employment decision set complex systemwide rules systemic rules involve wages pensions benefit adea treats somewhat flexibly leniently respect age see supp explicitly allowing pension eligibility turn age allowing employer consider pension benefits determining level severance pay allowing employer consider pension benefits determining level disability benefits specific benefit issue offered hazardous position workers nondiscriminatory terms ex ante say every employee hired promised disability retirement benefits become disabled prior time eligible normal retirement benefits furthermore congress otherwise approved programs calculate permanent disability benefits using formula expressly takes account age example social security administration uses formula calculating social security disability insurance benefits see iii cfr cases federal employees received permanent disability benefits based formula certain circumstances consider age effectively imputed years service disabled workers younger see ed see also office personnel management disability retirement civil service retirement system retirement facts rev line http visited june available clerk case file third clear rationale disparity issue manner kentucky calculates disability retirement benefits every important respect one identical manner kentucky calculates normal retirement benefits one significant difference consists fact plan imputes additional years service disabled individuals plan imputes years needed bring disabled worker years service number years individual worked worked age disability rules clearly track kentucky normal retirement rules obvious whole purpose disability rules kentucky claims treat disabled worker though become disabled rather become eligible normal retirement benefits age factors disability calculation normal retirement rules permissibly include age consideration one seeking help disabled workers way kentucky rules seek help workers care whether kentucky normal system turned eligibility part upon age upon different criteria suggested fact one readily construct plan produces identical disparity age neutral suppose kentucky plan made eligible pension workers years service workers years service suppose plan calculates amount pension way either case method calculation depends solely upon years service say giving worker pension equal year service plan provide workers become disabled prior pension eligibility pension workers received worked became pension eligible plan create disparity disabled workers worker becomes disabled becoming pension eligible many instances end receiving bigger pension worker becomes disabled becoming pension eligible example worker becomes disabled prior becoming receive annual pension worker becomes disabled becoming say years service receive annual pension disparity example actually motivated bias workers rather disparity like disparity case us simply artifact plan rules treat one set workers generously respect timing eligibility normal retirement benefits treat generously respect calculation amount normal retirement benefits example helps show plan issue case simply seeks treat disabled employees worked point eligible normal pension disparity turns upon pension eligibility nothing fourth although kentucky plan placed older worker disadvantage case cases work advantage older workers consider example two disabled workers one aged years service one aged years service kentucky scheme older worker actually get bigger boost imputed years younger worker years imputed former years imputed latter fact helps confirm underlying motive effort discriminate age fifth kentucky system rely sorts stereotypical assumptions adea sought eradicate rest stereotype work capacity older workers relative younger workers see general dynamics land systems cline noting except one point findings statements objectives adea either cast terms effects age intensifying time couched terms refer workers explicitly implicitly relative ones emphasis added plan assume disabled workers worked point become eligible pension also assumes disabled worker continued working beyond point disabled pension eligible assumptions involve stereotypes apply equally workers regardless age sixth nature plan eligibility requirements means unless kentucky severely cut benefits given disabled workers yet pension eligible kentucky claims present plan unlawful kentucky increase benefits available disabled workers lacking clear criteria determining many extra years impute workers already older difficulty finding remedy correct disparity achieve plan legitimate objective providing disabled worker sufficient retirement benefit namely normal retirement benefit worker receive pension eligible time disability suggests objective age actually motivated plan factors taken together convince us plan face create treatment differences actually motivated age present purposes accept district finding government pointed additional evidence might permit factfinder reach contrary conclusion see app bears emphasizing opinion way unsettles rule statute policy facially discriminates based age suffices show disparate treatment adea dealing today quite special case differential treatment based pension status pension status explicit blessing adea turns part age rule adopt today dealing sort case clear employer adopts pension plan includes age factor employer treats employees differently based pension status plaintiff state disparate treatment claim adea must adduce sufficient evidence show differential treatment actually motivated age pension status discussion factors lead us conclude government failed make requisite showing case provides indication plaintiff might show cases meet burden proving differential treatment based pension status fact discrimination age iv government makes two additional arguments first looks support amendment congress made adea decision public employees retirement system ohio betts betts employer denied worker disability benefits ground bona fide benefit program provided disability benefits workers became disabled prior age worker case became disabled age adea time exempted prohibitions employment decisions taken pursuant terms bona fide employee benefit plan subterfuge evade purposes act quoting supp held employer decision fell within exception subsequently congress amended adea make clear covered discrimination respect employee benefits see older workers benefit protection act stat congress replaced subterfuge exception provision stating disparities provision benefits lawful justified respect cost savings agree government amendment broadened field employer actions subject antidiscrimination rules narrowed statutorily available justifications differences facts help government dispute adea prohibitions apply plan issue basis finding plan lawful rest upon justifications rather find discrimination actually motivated age thus hazen paper betts provides relevant precedent amendment cited government beside point second government says must defer contrary eeoc interpretation contained eeoc regulation compliance manual regulation however says providing level benefits older workers younger workers violate act cfr government interpretation language entitled deference face regulation little restate terms statute gonzales oregon denying deference agency interpretation regulation light near equivalence statute regulation compliance manual provides explicitly benefits equal insofar plan reduces eliminates benefits based criterion explicitly defined whole part age eeoc compliance manual bold typeface deleted compliance manual provides asing disability retirement benefits number years disabled employee worked normal retirement age definition gives constructive years service younger older employees thus violates act see statements important lead us different conclusion see national railroad passenger corporation morgan noting compliance manuals entitled respect decision skidmore swift see also christensen harris county following hazen paper interpret act requiring showing discrimination issue actually motivated employer decision given reasons set forth part iii supra conclude evidence motivation lacking eeoc statement compliance manual automatically reaches contrary conclusion statement manual makes little effort justify lacks necessary power persuade us skidmore swift judgment appeals reversed ordered kentucky retirement systems et petitioners equal employment opportunity commission writ certiorari appeals sixth circuit june justice kennedy justice scalia justice ginsburg justice alito join dissenting today ignores established rules interpreting enforcing one important statutes congress enacted protect nation work force age discrimination age discrimination employment act adea act stat amended et seq act prohibits employment actions discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual age recent years employers employees alike advised courts appeals agency charged enforcing act equal employment opportunity commission eeoc straightforward reading statute correct one employer makes age factor employee benefit plan formal facial deliberate explicit manner detriment older employees violation act disparate treatment basis age prohibited unless exemption defense provided act applies today undercuts basic framework puts act enforcement wrong course decision en banc panel appeals sixth circuit reverses brought circuit case law line sister circuits see eeoc jefferson cty sheriff overturning lyon ohio ed assn professional staff union see also jankovitz des moines independent community school abrahamson board ed wappingers falls century school arnett california public employees retirement system auerbach board ed harborfields central school dist greenlawn huff uarco embracing approach rejected en banc panel courts appeals addressed issue creates unevenness administration unpredictability litigation uncertainty employee rights thought well settled consequences errors interpreting statute cases require respectful dissent even correct kentucky facially discriminatory disability benefits plan justified proper motive employer submission us reveals plan discriminatory classification rests upon stereotypical assumption violates act analytical framework threshold matter concede paradigm offered justify statute powerful one young police officer firefighter family disabled heroic performance duty disability payments increased account unworked years service overlooks however officer firefighter disabled heroic action receives many instances lower payment one reason alone explicit command kentucky disability plan age express disadvantage calculating disability payment straightforward act discrimination basis age though commonwealth entitled law instances defend differential cost justified ii yet established employer pretend explicit discrimination based age somehow consistent broad statutory regulatory prohibition disparate treatment based age following appears common ground sides dispute kentucky operates dual retirement systems employees hazardous occupations employee eligible normal retirement accumulated years service commonwealth age accumulated least years service employee longer work result disability however entitled receive disability retirement employees eligible normal retirement benefits ineligible disability retirement see rev stat ann lexis lexis cum supp distinction normal disability retirement difference nomenclature normal retirement system benefits calculated multiplying percentage employee pay retirement years service see lexis disability system multiplier includes employee actual years service also number years taken employee become eligible normal retirement subject cap equal number actual years served see words employees normal retirement system compensated based solely actual years service employees disability retirement system get bonus accounts number years employee worked remained healthy becoming eligible receive normal retirement benefits whether intended result divergent benefits formulae system cases compensates otherwise similarly situated individuals differently basis age consider two covered workers one one five years service commonwealth annual salary assume become disabled accident entitled receive monthly benefits receive half much benefit disparity results commonwealth decision disability retirement formula credit years unworked service thereby increasing appliable years benefits based actual years service years instance age factor accounts disparate treatment true age factor reduces benefits every case worker accumulated years service commonwealth becomes disabled age plays role benefits calculation question many cases disabled worker age accumulated fewer years service receives lower monthly stipend otherwise similarly situated workers concludes result something discrimination basis age ignoring statute past opinions ii difficult find clear rule law list policy arguments makes justify holding difficulty compounded analysis concedes case kentucky plan placed older worker disadvantage ante yet proceeds hold commonwealth disparate treatment workers motivated age ante apparent rationale even evident benefits plan discriminates face basis age adea plaintiff still must provide additional evidence employer acted underlying motive ante treat older workers less favorably younger workers finds support text statute wake public employees retirement system ohio betts held bona fide employee benefit plans exempt coverage adea congress amended act provide employee benefit plan discriminates basis age unlawful except employer establishes entitlement one affirmative defenses congress provided see older workers benefit protection act owbpa stat codified result owbpa employer operate employee benefit plan manner discriminate individual individual age except plan voluntary early retirement incentive plan actual amount payment made cost incurred behalf older worker less made incurred behalf younger worker ii see generally lindemann kadue age discrimination employment law common understanding statute terms disability plan pays older workers less younger workers basis age discriminate age agency administers statute eeoc understands see eeoc compliance manual enefits equal plan reduces eliminates benefits based criterion explicitly defined whole part age employer shown affirmative defenses exemptions act applies end matter employer liable unless make showing holding stems asserts statement hazen paper biggins employment practice discriminates protected trait ante quoting hazen paper emphasis deleted phrase used without qualification interpretation might justified one reads relevant passage full particular emphasis second sentence however hazen paper makes quite clear additional proof motive required adea case employment policy issue deemed discriminatory face said disparate treatment case liability depends whether protected trait adea age actually motivated employer decision see postal service bd governors aikens texas dept community affairs burdine furnco constr waters employer may relied upon formal facially discriminatory policy requiring adverse treatment employees trait see trans world airlines thurston los angeles dept water power manhart employer may motivated protected trait ad hoc informal basis see anderson bessemer city teamsters whatever employer decisionmaking process disparate treatment claim succeed unless employee protected trait actually played role process determinative influence outcome ibid context paragraph identifies decision made reliance facially discriminatory policy requiring adverse treatment employees protected trait type employment action actually motivated trait interpreting hazen paper say formal facial explicit mandated differential suffice establish violation subject statutory defenses exemptions misconstrues precedent upon entire theory case built right hazen paper wrong minimum cite hazen paper support holds conclusion violation established conflicts longstanding rule adea cases rule confirmed quoted text hazen paper plaintiff establishes policy discriminates face additional proof motive challenged employment action required plan discriminates face obvious decisions made pursuant plan actually motivated age eeoc employee must prevail unless employer justify action one enumerated statutory defenses exemptions two cases cited hazen paper examples formal facially discriminatory polic ies stand proposition see trans world airlines thurston los angeles dept water power manhart thurston considered whether trans world airlines transfer policy older pilots violated adea policy allowed pilots continue working airline past mandatory retirement age transferred position flight engineer pilot bid position bid procedures pilot became ineligible remain controls account disability even outright incompetence priority pilot forced due age held framework mcdonnell douglas green used determine whether discriminatory motive play application policy discriminatory face manhart title vii case involved municipal employees retirement plan forced female employees make larger contributions male counterparts noted even evidence policy discriminatory effect evidence defeat claim practice face discriminated every individual woman employed department majority misunderstands hazen paper reference employment practices actually motivated age overstate hazen paper meant observed pension status age analytically distinct reads language creating virtual safe harbor policies discriminate basis pension status even pension status tied directly age linked another type benefit program hazen paper allow support result hazen paper pension status age analytically distinct employee eligibility receive pension formally nothing age pension status tied solely years service recognized age pension status correlated older workers likely pension eligible found plan facially neutral regard age precisely age pension status expressly linked terms plan see noting consider special case employee vest pension benefits result age rather years service order prove liability hazen paper held plaintiff needed provide additional evidence termination fact motivated age saving feature controlling hazen paper absent case opposite hazen paper age distinction active present superseded absent age determining factor pension eligibility workers age less years service pension status turn used determine eligibility disability benefits employees pension status age analytically distinct meaningful sense merge one category treats employees differently basis pension eligibility kentucky facially discriminates basis age case facial age discrimination employer divided employees two teams based upon age putting workers age team workers team paid team members twice salary team counterparts basis age employer declare team designation neither hazen paper plain text adea read permit result closest comes reconciling holding actual text statute citation act exemption allowing employers condition pension eligibility age ante course fact invokes exemption concession act otherwise condemn classification kentucky disability plan makes exemption provides support holding event coverage limited employee pension benefit plan provid attainment minimum age condition eligibility normal early retirement benefits see supp farther reaching exemption subsequent employment decisions based upon pension eligibility extent finds loophole implicit text statute disability benefits program sort issue type employment policy fits adea allows employer tie disability benefits pension status designation designation used determine wages hours heath care benefits reimbursements job assignments promotions office space transportation vouchers parking privileges conceivable benefit condition employment iii recognizes difficulties position seeks limit holding yet ways permitted statute previous employment discrimination cases notes age sole determining factor pension eligibility instead one factor embedded set complex rules ante suggestion prior adea cases however certainly none related title vii jurisprudence discrimination based protected trait permissible protected trait one among many variables quite evident protected trait necessarily controlling factor calculating employee benefits manhart instance sex factor determining much employee required contribute pension plan monthly basis employee salary age length service also variables equation brief petitioners los angeles dept water power manhart even though employer decision require higher contributions female employees based upon actuarially sound premise women longer life expectancies men held plan discriminated face similarly said adea substantive prohibitions derived haec verba title vii lorillard pons require employer ignore employee age absent statutory exemption defense hazen paper statement perhaps qualified subsequent holding general dynamics land systems cline adea forbid employers discriminating favor older workers detriment younger workers reasonable minds may disagreed merits cline holding see scalia dissenting see also thomas dissenting cline dictate path chooses one thing interpret statute designed combat age discrimination way benefits older workers detriment younger workers quite another case interpret adea allow discriminatory employment practice disfavors older workers favoring younger ones moreover achieved result cline reading word age mean old age reading discriminat ion individual age mean discrimination individual advanced age see cline supra seems adopt new definition term discriminate holding discrimination basis protected trait trait one among several factors bear upon employee treated principled way draw distinction attempt cf manhart supra reason believe congress intended special definition discrimination context employee group insurance coverage recites sees several background circumstances eliminate possibility pension status though analytically distinct age nonetheless serves age kentucky plan ante among clear rationale treat disabled worker though become disabled rather become eligible normal retirement benefits ante difference however laudable purpose rule law otherwise discriminatory employment action rendered lawful employer motives benign automobile workers johnson controls employer policy barring female employees except infertile performing jobs exposed lead employer said policy designed reinforce negative gender stereotypes protect female employees unborn children risk birth defects argument prevail plan discriminated face basis sex employer establish bona fide occupational qualification defense result held restriction violated title vii absence malevolent motive convert facially discriminatory plan neutral policy discriminatory effect still even cases allowed motive qualification puts forth justify facial operative distinction based upon age plan issue survive test need look commonwealth brief evidence motives contrary adea brief commonwealth refers complainant case charles lickteig follows employee lickteig position extra years devote making money providing family saving funds retirement accruing years increase retirement benefits thus employee likely need boost brief petitioners hypothetical younger worker seems entitled boost one accepts younger worker productive years work left time injury lickteig actuarial matter assumption may sound impermissible basis differential treatment adea however said hazen paper idea productivity competence decline old age essence age discrimination forbidding age discrimination individual adea forbids employers using blunt tool age assess employee future productivity cf western air lines criswell noting labor department findings process psychological physiological degeneration caused aging varies individual whether good public policy instances might debatable congress sees fit change language statute however principled basis upholding kentucky disability benefits formula explained dissent kentucky disability retirement plan violates adea act intended promote interests older americans yet small irony least part commonwealth normal retirement plan treats older workers particularly generous fashion kentucky allows employees retire age accumulated five years service provision links age years service way benefits older workers pension eligibility function solely tenure age accordingly case like hazen paper eeoc case much weaker similarly notes ante kentucky avoid problems imputing unworked years service disabled workers old young alike neither change plan result generous treatment older workers difference first example older workers lose option early retirement second younger workers see benefits cut possible remedies commonwealth impute unworked years service employees forced retirement account disability regardless age desire avoid construing adea way encourages commonwealth eliminate early retirement program reduce benefits policemen firefighters covered disability plan understandable precedents benefit part parcel employment relationship may doled discriminatory fashion even employer free provide benefit thurston quoting hishon king spalding kentucky facially discriminatory plan good public policy answer ignore precedents plain text statute reasons view judgment appeals affirmed case remanded determination whether state assert defense