Age Discrimination Attorneys
Safeguard Your Legal Rights as an Employee By Turning to Hershey Law
Ageism is a form of prejudice or discrimination based on someone’s age. It happens when employers or co-workers treat older workers differently from younger ones. This type of bias can occur in the workplace through overt actions like firing or demoting older workers. Ageism can also manifest in subtle ways, such as assuming that people over 50 are less motivated than those under 40 to work toward a promotion.
Employment laws prohibit companies from discriminating against employees based on their age. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) states that employers cannot discriminate against employees over 40 years old. If you believe your employer has discriminated against you because of your age, contact a Los Angeles age discrimination lawyer at Hershey Law today. We have years of experience and have represented employees who claim they were fired or denied promotions due to their age. Contact us online or call 310-929-2190 to schedule a consultation.
What Constitutes Age Discrimination?
Age discrimination is any action taken by an employer which treats older employees unfairly compared to younger employees. Discriminatory practices range from simple employment decisions to more severe forms of discrimination, which may involve harassment.
Some examples of age discrimination include:
- Firing an employee over age 40 in order to hire someone much younger.
- Denying a promotion to an older employee who was more qualified than a younger person.
- Giving an older employee a lower pay rate than other employees in the same or similar positions.
- Denying an employee overtime pay because they are over age 40.
- Unfairly criticizing older employees.
- Making rude comments about an employee’s age.
- Treating older employees differently from younger employees.
- Disparaging remarks about older employees.
Sadly, discrimination against older workers is common in many workplaces across America. Approximately 60% of older employees are reported to be discriminated against because of age. In 2020, 21% of all EEOC claims involved workplace age discrimination.
Age discrimination comes in many different forms and affects different groups of individuals in different ways. The worst part is that this kind of treatment is often done with impunity since workers who are victims of age discrimination do not know their legal rights. Older workers may feel helpless if they do not understand why they have been poorly treated or what recourse they might have.
Talk to a skilled employment attorney immediately if you suspect your employer is engaging in age discrimination. An experienced age discrimination attorney can help you determine whether there is evidence of illegal discrimination and what options are available to you.
California Employment Laws Protect Against Age Discrimination
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act protect workers of at least 40 years old from being discriminated against based on their age. Specifically, the FEHA prohibits employers from taking discriminatory actions toward older employees like firing them, denying job opportunities, paying less money, not promoting them, giving unfair criticism, making jokes about aging employees, etc.
In addition to prohibiting certain types of employment discrimination, the FEHA also makes it unlawful for employers to retaliate against employees who complain about such behavior.
If you believe you have suffered age discrimination at work, you should file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You should also contact a skilled employment lawyer as soon as possible to have help building a solid case against your employer.
If you need a free consultation regarding your potential claim for age discrimination, call Hershey Law at 310-929-2190. We will review your situation and provide expert advice on how to proceed.
Proving Age Discrimination
If you are making an age discrimination claim, the burden of proof falls squarely onto you and your employment attorney.
In order to build a strong case, you must take note of any comments about your age made by supervisors, co-workers, managers, or executives at your company. Your work emails, text messages, social media posts, and other electronic records can prove that your employer made or was aware of negative remarks directed toward you about your age. In fact, some people find that even something as simple as a Facebook comment can prove that they were mistreated because of their age.
It is vital to keep all related documents, copies of your paychecks, personnel files, and statements that indicate you were terminated, demoted, or denied opportunities. You never know which piece of paper proves that you were unfairly dismissed due to your age.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Age Discrimination Lawyer
If you have suffered illegal discrimination because of your age, schedule a time to speak with an experienced employment attorney about filing an age discrimination claim. Age discrimination can happen to anyone, and it is never too late to seek justice.
Contact Us Today!
At Hershey Law, we have in-depth knowledge of all federal and state laws related to workplace discrimination. We will fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call us at 310-929-2190 to learn more about our services and discuss your case.