IBM Sued Over Alleged Age Bias and Retaliation

A longtime IBM employee has filed a federal lawsuit against the company, alleging age and sex discrimination and retaliation. The 59-year-old woman, who joined IBM in 1999, claims she was demoted just one day after she flagged age bias within the company. According to the complaint, IBM's leadership referred to older employees as 'dinobabies' in internal messages and discussed making them an 'extinct species.'

The lawsuit highlights a pattern of age discrimination at IBM, with a 2020 EEOC Cause determination finding that the company engaged in a pattern or practice of age discrimination between 2013 and 2018. The complaint also alleges that three female colleagues over 50 were selected for termination in a reduction in force, while no men under 50 were cut.

The worker claims she faced retaliation after filing an internal HR discrimination complaint on August 4, 2025. She alleges her manager told her that a younger male colleague with less tenure and experience would be placed above her, despite her strong performance record.