Fired For Being Too Old: Unfair or Good Business?

Radio personality Bruce Morrow is a legend who has been on the air for decades. When the Beatles came to America in 1965 and appeared at New York's Shea stadium, "Cousin Brucie" introduced them, and in the 1980s, Morrow was credited with helping push oldies station WCBS-FM to number one. But when WCBS-FM decided it wanted more music and less talk three years ago, Morrow was abruptly fired.

Kansas City DJs Max Floyd and Tanna Guthrie got the same bad news this year when they were fired from 99.7 KY.

"When they want you to go, they really want you to go," Guthrie said. Max Floyd, the veteran DJ who is the subject of the documentary "Rock and Roll General: The Max Floyd Story," said they were given the news without warning after their show.

Both believed they were fired for being too old, even though the station said the reason for the firing was because they were changing formats from classic rock to adult alternative. Guthrie doesn't understand why changing music meant the station had to change DJs.

Related

Starting a Business: It's Good to Be Old

Study: 'Weight-ism' Is Bigger Than Racism

McCain's Age: Is It a Fair Issue?

Watch this story tonight on "20/20" at 10 p.m ET.

"Why couldn't they keep us?" Guthrie asked. "We've been there, been loyal with the company, and they didn't change the music a lot."

Guthrie and Floyd hired lawyer Brian Costello and filed a complaint with the equal employment opportunity commission and plan to sue the radio station for age discrimination. These types of lawsuits have become more and more commonplace.

Age Discrimination Is 'Like a Disease'

"Any company can fire you when there's a reason," Hayes said. "There didn't seem to be any reason other than how old I was."

Hayes hired Murray Schwartz, an attorney who specializes in employment law. He's won millions suing companies for age discrimination, though companies seldom say age was the reason. Schwartz believes many companies "keep it a secret," and that age discrimination is "like a disease."