Still Employed Seniors Face Issues Over Age Discrimination

According to the AARP, 2 out of 3 workers over age forty-five have experienced some form of age discrimination. As our baby boomers continue to work longer, age discrimination lawsuits continue to rise in number.

The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids employers with 20 or more employees to discriminate against people who are age 40 or older. The law prohibits an employer from discriminating in hiring, firing, wages, job assignments, promotions, or any other aspect of employment.

If you believe you have been the victim of discrimination, the first step is filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC will investigate the claim and determine if the evidence shows that discrimination has occurred. Evidence of discrimination could include the following:

• Being subjected to comments and references about your age
• Seeing your performance reviews decline as you age
• Unfair and inconsistent treatment as compared with younger employees

If you feel you may be the victim of age discrimination, keep a journal of any comments, incidents or actions that appear discriminatory.

For Elder Law issues in the Greater Baltimore area, contact Stouffer Legal at 443-470-3599.