New Jersey Age Discrimination Lawyer
While race and sex discrimination often garner more attention in the press, age discrimination is also a significant problem in New Jersey. Many employers believe that older workers are either too expensive or less productive relative to their younger counterparts. But age is not a valid reason to deprive someone of employment, and federal and state laws are in place to prohibit such discriminatory conduct.
The skilled New Jersey age discrimination lawyers at Poulos LoPiccolo PC can help you protect your rights under the law. If you have been fired or refused employment based on your age, we can take legal action against that employer on your behalf. We know that many employers are just well versed enough in the law to try and get around their legal obligations. We will not let them get away with such tactics.
Understanding the Signs of Age Discrimination
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is the principal federal law governing age discrimination. The ADEA prohibits employers with at least 20 employees from discriminating against any employee or job applicant based on age, provided they are 40 years or older. At the state level, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) protects all employees over the age of 18 from age-related discrimination.
Both laws consider similar types of employer conduct discriminatory. Some common examples of illegal age discrimination include:
- refusing to hire a job applicant due to their age;
- firing or laying off an employee based on their age;
- imposing a mandatory retirement age;
- favoring younger workers for promotions or specific job opportunities;
- treating an older employee in a different or less favorable manner than a younger employee; or
- creating or promoting a hostile work environment for older employees, i.e., allowing age-related harassment to occur on the work site.
Like other forms of employment discrimination, age discrimination rarely occurs openly. Employers will often try and mask their discriminatory motives by offering a legitimate-sounding reason for making certain decisions. And while New Jersey employers do have wide latitude in deciding who to hire and for what reason, they simply cannot refuse to hire or promote older workers because they simply prefer a younger workforce.
That said, age discrimination can still be subtle and thus difficult to prove. This is where working with an experienced age discrimination lawyer can be critical. At Poulos LoPiccolo, we have heard every employer excuse in the book and we know how to separate legitimate reasons from discriminatory motives. More to the point, we understand what to do when employers fail to follow the law.
Experienced Discrimination Lawyers Serving Ocean, Monmouth & Middlesex County
The reality is that many New Jersey residents need to spend more years in the workforce than previous generations. These difficulties are only compounded when employers steadfastly refuse to treat older workers with the dignity and respect they are entitled to under the law. So if you need to speak with an experienced New Jersey age discrimination attorney, contact Poulos LoPiccolo PC today to schedule an initial consultation.
