Age Discrimination

Baby boomers now constitute a huge portion of the national workforce. These workers are living and working longer than their parents did and, over their working lives, have enjoyed an increase in their benefits and compensation. However, younger and less experienced counterparts continue to stream into the workforce, often at lower salaries than established, older workers. As a result, older employees sometimes can face layoffs and difficulties in finding new employment. Congress has enacted legislation to define specific prohibited practices and provide protection to older workers who face age discrimination in the workplace. The original landmark legislation was the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, which has been amended several times.