The Hennepin Minnesota Jury Instruction — 1.4.1 Age Discrimination In Employment Act 29 USC Sect.621 – 634 General Instruction is a legal guideline provided to jurors in Hennepin County, Minnesota, regarding cases that involve age discrimination in employment under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (AREA). This instruction aims to clarify the relevant laws and principles that jurors should consider when deciding on such cases. The Age Discrimination In Employment Act (AREA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on age in employment settings. It covers employees who are 40 years of age or older and protects them from discrimination or biased treatment by employers due to their age. The Hennepin Minnesota Jury Instruction — 1.4.1 serves as a comprehensive guide for jurors to understand the legal framework and principles surrounding AREA in employment cases. The content covered in the Hennepin Minnesota Jury Instruction — 1.4.1 Age Discrimination In Employment Act 29 USC Sect.621 – 634 General Instruction can be summarized as follows: 1. Scope of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act: The instruction provides an overview of the AREA provisions, emphasizing that it prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment, including hiring, promotions, layoffs, and benefits. 2. Prima Facie Case: The instruction outlines the elements a plaintiff (the person claiming discrimination) must establish to make a prima facie (initial) case of age discrimination against an employer. This typically includes proving that the plaintiff was over 40 years old, qualified for the job or promotion, and suffered an adverse employment action. 3. Burden of Proof: The instruction explains the burden of proof and how it shifts between the plaintiff and the defendant (employer) during the course of the trial. It clarifies that the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case, after which the burden shifts to the defendant to provide a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for the employment action. 4. Pretextual Discrimination: The instruction highlights the concept of pretextual discrimination, which refers to situations where the defendant's stated reason for the adverse employment action is deemed false or insufficient. Jurors are instructed to assess whether such reasons are merely a cover-up for age-based discrimination. 5. Mixed Motive: The instruction also addresses situations where an employer's decision is based on both legitimate and discriminatory reasons. Jurors are informed that if they find that age was a motivating factor in the employment decision, it is considered discrimination even if there were other non-discriminatory factors involved. It is important to note that while these are the general elements covered in the Hennepin Minnesota Jury Instruction — 1.4.1, there may also be specific variations or additional instructions tailored to the specific circumstances of a case. These variations would be provided by the judge presiding over the trial.