Kansas City Age Discrimination Attorney

Who Is Protected From Age Discrimination?

Under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, anyone age 40 and over cannot be discriminated against in the workplace or when being considered for a position. 

In Missouri, however, the protected age range is 40-69. Once you turn 70, you are not protected from age discrimination under Missouri’s anti-discrimination statutes. 

It is important to know that the law considers your age at the time the discrimination occurred, not your age when you decided to bring legal action. So an employee who is fired due to age discrimination one month before his 70th birthday is protected under Missouri law because he was still 69 when the discrimination happened.

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Overview of Missouri Age Discrimination Law

Age discrimination is against state and federal laws. If an employer has acted in a manner that causes discrimination based on age, they are in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act. They are also in violation of the regulations of the Equal Opportunity Employment guidelines. In some cases, the actions may even violate Civil Rights.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against by an employer that you currently work for or have been overlooked for a job due to your age, you need to act quickly. Most of the regulations concerning age discrimination have a very short time frame where you can legally make a claim against the employer.

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What to do When Age Discrimination Happens

Age discrimination Missouri is an awful thing for anyone to experience. Employees who dedicate years of service and sacrifice to a company’s mission ought to be valued and rewarded. They bring vast experience and knowledge to the job, and take their work seriously. Unfortunately, we all too often see older workers nearing the end of their careers cast out like yesterday’s garbage, all in the name of saving a buck or changing the “culture” of an organization. 

Age discrimination is something that should be taken very seriously by employers and employees. Business practices should be in place that prevents any discrimination.

If age discrimination or any other type of discrimination occurs in the workplace, employers should be held accountable. Discrimination hurts people emotionally and financially. Discrimination can also create a very hostile work environment that is dangerous to all involved.

If you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of your age, it is time to take action. We understand that many people are wary about standing up for their rights when they are being discriminated against by an employer. Many people quietly accept discriminatory acts because they are afraid of retaliation. Others may even feel embarrassed by the entire situation and not want to talk to anyone about what happened.

But justice cannot be served when a person does not speak up about the discriminatory actions of an employer. The same laws that protect workers from discrimination also protect them from retaliation for opposing discrimination. Many times, when a case is brought up against an employer, other employees will also stand up because they feel empowered by the case.

We understand that you are experiencing a range of feelings about discrimination. You may feel embarrassed or ashamed, frustrated or mad, or even betrayed. We are here to help, and we will be with you every step of the way. 

The only way to help stop or prevent discrimination is to take aggressive action against it when it happens. Businesses and their employees must be made to understand that acting in a discriminatory manner is not accepted on a professional or social level. They must also understand when this unacceptable behavior happens justice must be served.

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