Age bias claims rise in recession; Some older workers seeking protection under federal law.

Byline: LOUISE ESOLA

Older workers who lost their jobs and blame age discrimination account for about one in four claims made with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a number that rose in recent years as the economy tanked.

Some experts blame the Great Recession, which began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009, for the rise in age discrimination filings.

As businesses laid off workers during the tough economy, age discrimination claims filed with the EEOC increased 15.4% in fiscal 2007 from the previous year and jumped another 28.7% in fiscal 2008 to a record 24,582. However, such filings dipped 7.3% in 2009, declining to 22,778.

"The truth is the filings go up and down and it's difficult to pinpoint the reason," said Diana Johnston, a Washington-based attorney with the EEOC. "We assume …