Age discrimination and wrongful termination
On behalf of The Womack Law Firm posted in workplace discrimination on Thursday, November 10, 2016
The Texas economy, much like the national economy in the United States, has been changing dramatically over the last two decades. Thanks, in part, to manufacturers moving offshore and to shifts in the domestic energy industry, there has been a steady loss of good-paying jobs in many areas. In some cases, those who have worked for years or even decades with the same company have been terminated because of age discrimination. For those who believe that their demotion or termination were based on age discrimination, working with an attorney may be the only form of available recourse.
Why companies discriminate based on age
For some businesses, there is a perception that younger employees are more up-to-date on technology and advances in their industry. This perception, however, ignores the real value of years of experience and the potential of continuing education to diminish that technological divide. For other companies, they may be trying to reduce their operating expenses by hiring new employees at lower wages and with fewer or no benefits or pension. Whatever the reasoning behind it, age discrimination is illegal and can have a lasting negative impact on the people who lose their jobs because of it.
How age discrimination impacts workers
From the loss of medical insurance to the depletion of savings and retirement funds while looking for a new job, there are a lot of negative effects experienced by those subject to age discrimination. Unfortunately, age discrimination is perceived as common practice during the hiring process. It can be harder to prove that a worker didn’t get a job offer because of one’s age than it can be to prove someone was wrongfully terminated because of this. However, depending on your circumstances, an experienced attorney may be able to help.
Other ways age discrimination can be experienced
Age discrimination isn’t just something that happens when a worker is terminated or looking for work. Workers over the age of 40 may be subject to mistreatment by their managers or coworkers because of their age. From jokes and harassment to demotions and terminations based on the age of the employee, Federal law prohibits age discrimination by employers. If you are experiencing harassment and abuse from coworkers because of your age, you should report it to management or human resources. Contacting an attorney can help if you are concerned about reprisal for speaking up.
How an attorney can help if you’ve experienced age discrimination
If you were wrongfully terminated, harassed because of your age, or denied a promotion or new job because of age discrimination, you may be awarded compensation by the courts. Working with an attorney is the best way to make a strong case to the courts about your situation. Hiring a dedicated and experienced attorney who will fight for you is critical to minimizing the long-term impact of a wrongful termination, particularly if you believe age discrimination played a role.