What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) was passed to address discrimination in employment based upon Age. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act do not protect against discrimination based on age, which makes the ADEA the primary law providing this protection.

What does the ADEA protect?

The ADEA prohibits employers with 20 or more employees from discriminating against employees who are 40 years of age and older. 

The Act protects against disparate treatment and policies that have a disparate impact on covered employees. 

Unlike under Title VII, there must be some form of discriminatory intent behind discriminatory impact cases. 

What is a Defense to ADEA Discrimination?

An employer may defend an ADEA claim by demonstrating that the discriminatory action or policy was motivated by a reasonable factor other than age. 

The employer does not have to show a business necessity, and it does not matter if there is a less discriminatory policy or manner of achieving the employer's objective. 

Plaintiffs may achieve reinstatement in their positions and recover damages for violation of the act. 

A willful violation may give rise to double the actual damages (including lost wages and any losses resulting from the discrimination). 

Lastly, the ADEA allows for an action against employers who retaliate against employees for exercising their rights under the ADEA.

Note: The ADEA has numerous requirements for benefits, pension, and retirement plans that expand upon the protections of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Example: Discrimination may include disparate treatment, such as failing to hire, discharging, or changing benefits. An example of discriminatory impact includes the practice of establishing mandatory retirement dates for employees. A notable exception to this rule is that high-level executives with qualified retirement plans can be forced to retire.

Related Topics

• Employment Discrimination (Intro)
• What is Employment Discrimination?
• Glass Ceiling
• What are the major Employment Discrimination laws?
• Civil Rights Act of 1866 (1981 Actions)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• The Rehabilitation Act
• Job Accommodation Network
• Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Uniform Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
• Sexual Orientation and Identification
• What is Affirmative Action?
• What is employment discrimination protection under state law?
• Overview of Title VII (Civil Rights Act of 1964)
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• What is employment discrimination under Title VII?
• How are Title VII protections enforced?
• Wrongful Termination Claim
• Disparate Treatment
• Disparate Impact
• What is race discrimination under Title VII?
• What is national origin discrimination under Title VII?
• What is religious discrimination Under Title VII?
• What is sex discrimination under Title VII?
• What is sexual harassment or Hostile work environment under Title VII?
• Quid Pro Quo
• What is pregnancy discrimination under Title VII?
• Equal Pay Act of 1963