It’s hard to imagine a more Boomer institution than the Supreme Court, which is why it makes sense that Chief Justice John Roberts uttered the phrase “OK, boomer” for the first time ever on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard Babb v. Wilkie, a case related to age discrimination in federal agencies. And during oral arguments, Roberts asked a hypothetical.
“Let’s say in the course of the, you know, weeks’ long process, you know, one comment about age, you know, the hiring person is younger, says, you know, ‘okay, boomer,’ you know, once to the — to the applicant,” Roberts said to laughter. “Is that actionable?”
The case pits Dr. Noris Babb, a pharmacist at a VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida, against the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Babb alleges that after she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, her managers “discriminated against her based on her gender and age” and “subjected her to a hostile work environment,” according to the case.
