Age Discrimination
The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Washington
Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) prohibit discrimination against an employee
or job applicant because of age. Individuals who are forty years of age
or older are protected from discrimination under these laws. It is illegal
for employers to refuse to hire an employee because of age or to target
older employees for layoff in a reduction of force. The law also prohibits
employers from treating employees over forty years of age less favorably
with regard to pay, benefits or opportunities for promotion. Proving age
discrimination requires evidence that the challenged employment decisions
were motivated by age bias. In some cases age related comments on the
part of managers or employers provide such evidence. In cases involving
a reduction in force, evidence of age discrimination can be demonstrated
through an analysis of the ages of the individuals selected for layoff.
If you believe that you have been the target of age discrimination in your
employment,
contact Frank Freed Subit & Thomas to discuss your legal claims.