What employees need to know about age discrimination

On Behalf of | Jun 15, 2018 | Age Discrimination |

Like disability discrimination, age discrimination can sometimes go unnoticed by the casual observer of employment law developments. In the news right now, race and gender discrimination, along with sexual harassment in the workplace, are getting much more attention. However, it is important to realize that there is a variety of other types of discrimination that can occur in workplaces throughout the country and in Minnesota, including age discrimination.

When our readers think of age discrimination, they likely think of discrimination against elderly employees. However, the fact is that younger employees can face discrimination as well, and oftentimes for the same reason as older employees – the employer thinks that the employee isn’t fit for the job due to age. Unfortunately, one of the difficulties that an employee of any age will face when dealing with age discrimination is the relative difficulty of proving such a claim.

What if your employer really does believe that there is another employee or potential employee who can do your job better or more efficiently? What if the employer is able to present a somewhat plausible case that shows that age had nothing to do with the fact that you were demoted, passed over for a promotion or even fired? That is when it is important to know how employment laws can help.

Under the law, it is generally illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee solely due to age. Minnesota residents who need to make a claim based on age discrimination should be sure to know which law will apply to their unique situation.