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Patterson Harkavy’s employment discrimination attorneys have represented older workers facing age discrimination across North Carolina. We help employees understand and enforce their rights when they are passed over in favor of younger workers or denied benefits because of their age.
If you think you were the victim of unlawful age discrimination, contact us to see if we can help.
Age discrimination occurs when an employer treats a job applicant or employee less favorably because of his or her age. In North Carolina, age discrimination is only unlawful when it is directed against people who are age 40 or older. It is also not unlawful for an employer to favor an older worker over a younger worker because of the employees’ age.
The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects employees 40 years of age and older from being discriminated against in the work place due to their age. Covered employers are prohibited from discriminating against an older employee when it comes to making decisions such as who to promote, hire, or fire. They also cannot use age as the basis for decisions about an employee’s benefits, compensation, job assignments, and training.
The ADEA only applies to employers with 20 or more employees. It covers local and state governments, as well as apprenticeship programs. As a general rule, employers may not include age preferences in advertisements for a job opening. However, employers may require that employees be of at least a certain age to apply.
The ADEA also makes it unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an employee who files an age discrimination charge.
One United States Supreme Court case, Gross v. FBL Financial Services, held that an employee must show that the employer would not have taken the adverse action if not for the employee’s age. This ruling is significant, because it may make it more difficult to prove age discrimination than it is to prove other forms of discrimination protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Age discrimination plaintiffs may be held to a higher standard of proof than other victims of illegal discrimination.
Sometimes an employer may ask an employee to waive their rights under the ADEA in order to settle a court claim or as part of a severance agreement or other program accompanying termination. The ADEA has outlined specific standards that must be met in order for the waiver to be valid. Among other requirements, a valid ADEA waiver must:
If you have faced discrimination at work due to your age, you have the right to demand fair employment treatment or compensation. Patterson Harkavy’s employment discrimination attorneys have successfully represented older workers facing discrimination across North Carolina. If you believe you have experienced age discrimination by a current or potential employer, we would be happy to review your situation and explain your options to be treated fairly at any age. Call Patterson Harkavy toll free at 1-800-458-2541 or contact us online.
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