Age Discrimination

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Age discrimination in the workplace is a serious issue and protected against by both federal and state laws for workers aged 40 and older. Both the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and California’s Fair Housing and Employment Act (FEHA) prohibit discrimination based on age in all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, promotions, wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of work. The ADEA applies to companies with 15 or more employees, while FEHA extends protection to those working in companies with 5 or more employees. Generally, individuals have three (3) years from the date of discrimination to file a pre-complaint inquiry in California.

To prove age discrimination, an employee must demonstrate that they are over 40, qualified for their job, subjected to discriminatory conduct, and that younger employees were not treated similarly. The process often involves filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). While employers may attempt to justify their actions with reasons like downsizing, poor performance, or company reorganization, an experienced age discrimination attorney can help gather direct, indirect, and contextual evidence to support the claim. 

Age discrimination is sometimes difficult to identify. Examples of age discrimination include illegal early retirement deals, replacing older workers with younger ones without legitimate business reasons, unfair wage determinations, and inequality in job benefits. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) further requires employers to treat older and younger employees equally in terms of benefits. It’s important to note that age discrimination can be subtle and often disguised as other business decisions.

 

Victims of age discrimination may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including back pay, future lost earnings, job reinstatement, pay differentials from missed promotions or raises, benefits, and damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering. Additionally, both federal and state laws protect employees from retaliation for filing age discrimination complaints or participating in related court proceedings. 

If you or someone you know is suffering age discrimination in the workplace, contact us immediately.

We protect your rights!

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