Age discrimination has been illegal for over five decades, but it is still a major problem in workplaces across the country. In fact, age discrimination complaints are on the rise, and many well-known companies are being taken to court over their discriminatory practices.
Recent Age Discrimination Lawsuits
GNC, a health and nutrition retailer, was recently ordered to pay $260,000 to a 57-year-old former employee who was fired due to his age. The man had worked for the company for 13 years before he was wrongfully terminated.
GNC isn’t the only retailer who has been sued over age discrimination lately. Anthropologie was also sued by a former employee who claims she was harassed by co-workers because of her age. The plaintiff also alleges that she was denied a promotion after being told she was too old to keep up with the demands of the position.
South Peninsula Hospital, Inc. was also accused of age discrimination by five former nurses who claim they were wrongfully terminated. The nurses accuse the hospital of trying to replace all nurses over the age of 50 with younger and less experienced employees.
These are several examples of the many age discrimination lawsuits that have recently been filed.
What Does Age Discrimination Look Like?
There are many different forms of age discrimination. According to the AARP, it often involves a supervisor or co-worker repeatedly making negative remarks about an employee’s age. A single joke or negative remark is not illegal, but if the comments are made frequently, this is considered age discrimination.
The AARP reports that some victims of age discrimination are denied promotions or other job opportunities because of their age. Many victims are fired solely because they have reached a certain age. These are both common forms of age discrimination. Employers are prohibited from making any employment decisions based on age, which means they cannot consider a person’s age when making hiring, firing, promotion, job reassignment, and other important decisions.
Your employer should not treat you differently just because you are over the age of 40. If you believe you are being discriminated against, it’s best to speak to an attorney to determine if your rights are being violated.
Are you a victim of age discrimination? If so, contact Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. as soon as possible. Our attorneys are committed to seeking justice on behalf of Oklahoma workers over the age of 40. Call us at (918) 582-2500 or toll-free at (800) 722-8880 or complete the simple form below for a free consultation with a skilled attorney.