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Age Discrimination In the American Workplace

age-discrimination-in-the-american-workplace

In the United States, the population is aging. This is seen in a census bureau report that predicts a rise in the median age of Americans. The current median age is 38 years old, by the year 2030 the median age is projected to rise to 40 years old. Add this information to the trend of individuals working past retirement age and you are left with a labor force in which older Americans are looking for work.

Sometimes issues arise because not every employer wants to hire older Americans. Consequently, these individuals find themselves victims of age discrimination. If you were a victim of age discrimination within a position at a business in Ohio, talk to a Columbus employment attorney.

How Companies Recruit and Retrain

It is common for businesses to focus on recruiting younger employees and individuals coming out of higher education programs. There are even companies that focus on being sure a certain amount of their workforce are not older workers.

How to Fight Back

There are ways to fight age discrimination in the workplace. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was passed by the federal government in 1967. Within ADEA it states the act is in place “to promote employment of older persons based on their ability rather than age; to prohibit arbitrary age discrimination in employment; to help employers and workers find ways of meeting problems arising from the impact of age on employment.”

The ADEA protects job applicants and employees, but the workers need to be a minimum of 40 years old and must be employed by a company with at least 20 employees, employment firms, or positions within government or labor organizations. A Columbus employment attorney will know if your organization is subject.

According to the AARP, there is a lot of age discrimination in the workplace. Over 60% of individuals who were over 45 years of age reported experiencing or witnessing age discrimination at work.

Things you may notice at work that may be age discrimination:

  • Witnessing or experiencing age-related insults.
  • Noticing a pattern of hires who are younger.
  • Older workers overlooked for promotions or challenging tasks.
  • Encouragement of older workers to retire.

Even though it is common, it may be viewed as difficult to stand up to individuals who are stereotyping workers and making discriminatory comments. Whatever age you are, you have rights. You do not have to suffer from age discrimination at work, whether you are 40, 50, 60, or 70.

Have you experienced age discrimination at work? The Columbus employment lawyers at Coffman Legal LLC are strong and committed advocates for all Ohio workers. They can guide you through the process of protecting your rights and securing compensation that you deserve, when appropriate. Call 614-949-1181 for a free and confidential consultation.

https://www.mcoffmanlegal.com/am-i-an-employee-or-an-independent-contractor/

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