Age Discrimination

Age discrimination in employment is prohibited by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which applies to all individuals who are 40 years of age or older. Accordingly, an employer is prohibited from discriminating against employees or job applicants based on age with respect to all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training.

Not only is employment discrimination based on age illegal, but it is also illegal to retaliate against an employee who reports employment discrimination. The Chicago employment discrimination attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca focus on representing employees who have suffered from employment discrimination based on age and retaliatory discharge.

Are Employers Permitted to ask My age?

Although the ADEA does not specifically prohibit an employer from asking a job applicant’s age or date of birth, requests for age information are closely scrutinized by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to ensure that the inquiry was made for a lawful purpose. Age-related questions often deter older workers from applying for employment and may indicate an intent to discriminate based on age, making such questions highly suspect.

What Other Discrimination Laws may Apply?

In addition to age, employers are also prohibited from making employment-related decisions based solely on the fact that the individual falls into one of the following “protected classes:”

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• National Origin
• Gender

State and federal anti-discrimination laws provide remedies for employees who report an employer’s illegal discrimination. Remedies for reporting employment discrimination based on race may include back pay, front pay, reinstatement of employment position, damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

How Can We Help?

Employment discrimination laws are complex laws with several nuances, and employment discrimination based on race involves sensitive legal and personal issues. Accordingly, it is essential to hire a skilled employment discrimination attorney who understands the law, as well as the practical effects and implications of the law.

The Chicago employment discrimination law firm of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca focuses on representing plaintiffs in employment discrimination based on race, as well as discrimination based on color, religion, national origin, age, or gender. As experienced Chicago employment attorneys, we also have considerable experience representing employees in connection with claims based on wrongful termination, Family Medical Leave Act violations and wage and overtime violations.

Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca is well-respected by its legal peers and is an AV-rated law firm, which marks its reputation as among the most knowledgeable and ethical attorneys in its field. Five of the Chicago employment attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca Illinois Super Lawyers and four of our labor attorneys are rated “Best Lawyers in America.” Our Chicago employment attorney Stan Eisenstein has been an Illinois Super Lawyer since 2005.

Contact the skilled Chicago employment lawyers at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca at 312-724-5846 to schedule a consultation if you suspect that you have suffered employment discrimination based on age.