Unfortunately, employment discrimination is all too common. If you’ve been discriminated against at work because of your age, you may be wondering what your next steps should be. The first thing to do is to learn about the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or ADEA, is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. The ADEA protects employees and job applicants from getting discriminated against because of their age. This includes decisions about hiring, firing, pay, benefits, training and other terms and conditions of employment.
The ADEA applies to all employers with 20 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and labor unions. The key provisions of the ADEA include:
- Prohibiting employment discrimination against people age 40 or older
- Requiring employers to reasonably accommodate the needs of employees and job applicants age 40 or older
- Allowing individuals to file a lawsuit alleging employment discrimination based on age
What are some examples of employment discrimination?
Employment discrimination includes paying employees who are age 40 or older less than employees who are younger than age 40 in addition to firing an employee, refusing to hire an applicant, denying benefits to employees or denying training to employees because they are above age 40.
If you believe that you have been the victim of employment discrimination, you should file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC is the federal agency that investigates employment discrimination complaints. If the EEOC validates your claim, you may be able to claim compensation.