Age Discrimination
The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ADEA”) and a similar state law make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the basis of an employee’s age. These laws protect employees who are 40 years of age or older from discriminatory decisions relating to hiring, firing, promotions, demotions, compensation, job assignments, and other terms and conditions of employment. These statutes also protect employees who are subjected to harassment because of their age, and they protect employees who complain about age discrimination from retaliation by their employer. The ADEA covers employers with 20 or more employees while the similar state statute covers employers with 15 or more employees.
The federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (“OWBPA”) amended the ADEA to make sure employees do not unknowingly waive their age discrimination claims in exchange for severance packages or settlement agreements.
Age discrimination claims under the ADEA or the corresponding state statute must usually be filed with the EEOC or the TWC before an employee can file a lawsuit. A good Austin age discrimination lawyer will have extensive knowledge and experience in all of these areas. We do.
What We Can Do If You Are An Employer
It’s a minefield out there. We can help you navigate it with confidence. Because this is a complicated area of the law, an employer would be well-advised to have an experienced Austin age discrimination attorney draft or review their policies for appropriate legal compliance and make recommendations to minimize litigation risks. We provide these services. We also conduct internal workplace investigations if a complaint has been made, or a problem is suspected. With respect to age-related employment issues, we counsel and advise businesses; represent businesses when complaints are made against them to the EEOC, TWC or Department of Labor; prepare severance agreements to ensure compliance with the ADEA; tenaciously represent businesses who are being sued in lawsuits, arbitrations and mediations; and handle almost any other employment issue you can imagine. We have been very successful in our representation of employers and we invite you to review the testimonials from several of the employers we have represented on employment matters. If you are an employer who would like to have an experienced and knowledgeable Austin age discrimination lawyer who has a long track record of success for employers on your side, contact us.
What We Can Do If You Are An Employee
Unfortunately, not all employers comply with the laws on age discrimination. Being subjected to age discrimination can devastate one’s life and finances. If you believe you have been subjected to age discrimination, we urge you to contact a knowledgeable, experienced and successful Austin age discrimination attorney. A good Austin age discrimination lawyer can explain the law in this area; advise you as to whether your employer has engaged in illegal conduct against you; advise you of your rights and options; intercede with your employer when appropriate; represent you before the TWC or EEOC; and aggressively prosecute your lawsuit if your case cannot be reasonably settled. We do all of these things and have done so for well over 20 years. We invite you to review the testimonials from some employees we have represented on employment matters. If you are an employee who would like to have an experienced and knowledgeable Austin age discrimination attorney with a long track record of success for employees on your side, contact us.