One of the lesser known and addressed forms of workplace discrimination is age discrimination. Age discrimination is defined as the unfavorable or less favorable treatment of a worker due to his or her age if they are 40 years of age or older.
This discrimination may take many forms, such as not hiring or firing an employee based on age, lesser pay or unfair job assignments, or even the lack of a promotion or training of an employee based on his or her age.
Harassment may also occur to older workers, leading to a hostile or offensive work environment. And the harassment may come from many sources, including but not limited to a co-worker, a supervisor or superior, or even someone who is not an employee such as a contractor or customer. Any form of harassment that leads to a hostile or offensive working environment is considered harassment.
For a worker who believes that he or she is a victim of workplace harassment, it is important to collect as much evidence as possible. This may include not only witnesses, but also written documentation such as emails, or other forms of evidence that suggest that a worker was treated less favorably due to their age.
All forms of discrimination and harassment should be taken seriously, not only to protect the victim, but to protect potential victims in the future. Workers in the White Plains and Westchester area who believe that they have been the victim of age discrimination may want to speak with a law firm familiar with employment law to see how to proceed and protect their rights.
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Age Discrimination,” Accessed on Nov. 17, 2015
