Congress introduces legislation to combat age discrimination

On Behalf of | Apr 17, 2019 | Workplace Discrimination |

New Jersey residents may be interested in learning about bipartisan legislation being introduced into Congress to make it easier for an individual to prove age discrimination. The legislation being introduced is entitled The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. The goal of this legislation is to increase protection for older workers so that they are not excluded from the workforce simply because of their age.

This issue is taking on greater importance in recent years. According to AARP, employees over the age of 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the workforce in the United States. There are a number of reasons for this.

One reason is that over the last 10 years, wage growth has become stagnant. Fluctuations in the economy have caused a lot of the pensions that senior citizens were relying on to all but disappear. Many workers are trying to delay when they get Social Security benefits with the goal of maxing out their payouts. In addition, improvements in healthcare mean that seniors are living longer. As a result, many are worried that they will go through their retirement savings too quickly.

Although these changes reflect the reality on the ground, they have not changed the way that companies view their hiring practices. Many companies are focused on hiring millennials. They see a successful hire as someone who is young. These companies do not want a reputation for discriminating against older individuals, nor do they want to face an age discrimination lawsuit; instead of discriminating outright, they use coded tactics to discourage older individuals from joining their company.

It can be challenging for older individuals who feel they are a victim of age discrimination to prove their case. This is why talking to an attorney who is knowledgeable about age discrimination practices and laws may be beneficial. The attorney may listen to their client and hear the reasons why they feel they were discriminated against because of their age. The attorney may help their client lay evidence out in a way that will allow them to pursue future legal action if it is merited.

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