Respecting Elders In & Out of the Workplace
August 21, 2020, is National Senior Citizens Day, which recognizes the roles, contributions, and values that older people have offered to our society. While the nation celebrates the impact that elderly people made and continues to make in America, it’s important to remember that this population doesn’t always get what it gives.
In the workplace, age discrimination is far more common than you might think. A 2018 AARP survey revealed the following:
- Nearly 1 in 4 workers age 45 and older have been subjected to negative comments about their age from supervisors or coworkers.
- About 3 in 5 older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace.
- 76 percent of these older workers see age discrimination as a hurdle to finding a new job; another report found that more than half of these older workers are prematurely pushed out of longtime jobs and 90 percent of them never earn as much again.
This information is unsettling and must be confronted to diminish the occurrence of age discrimination in the workplace. Employers must be held accountable for complying with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
What Is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?
According to the US Department of Labor, the ADEA protects certain applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. The law applies to:
- Companies that employ at least 20 people
- Employment agencies
- The federal government
- State and local government in certain instances
- Labor organizations with 25 members or more
Under the ADEA, employers cannot:
- Fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against them with respect to their compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of their age.
- Limit, segregate, or classify employees in any way that would deprive them of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect their employment status based on the individual's age.
- Reduce the wage rate of any employee.
Fighting Discrimination Against Elderly in the Workplace
Our employment lawyers at Shellist Lazarz Slobin LLP do not allow for age discrimination to go unnoticed in the workplace. People over 40 shouldn’t have to worry about mistreatment, unfair labor conditions, or keeping their job just because of their age. As a result, our attorneys will go above and beyond to create a legal plan that works to punish and put an end to age discrimination on behalf of our clients.
To us, Senior Citizens Day is not solely meant to honor and show appreciation to elderly people. This holiday serves as a powerful reminder of the work that must be done to eradicate age discrimination against seniors at all costs. It’s not only illegal but wrong.
Need legal assistance? Contact us at (713) 352-3433 to discuss your situation and legal options.