Have You Experienced Age Discrimination at Work?

Spokane Age Discrimination Lawyers

Matern Law Group, PC is an employment law firm serving employees in Spokane, WA.

Have you been treated unfairly at work because of your age? Were you passed over for a promotion, targeted during a layoff, replaced by a younger employee, denied opportunities, or terminated because of your age? If you are 40 or older, you may have rights under Washington and federal employment laws.

Age Discrimination Protections in Spokane

The Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) provide important protections against age discrimination in the workplace. Employees working in Spokane may also have protections under local anti-discrimination laws.

Washington law protects workers age 40 and older from certain forms of employment discrimination based on age. The federal ADEA also protects employees and job applicants age 40 and older from discrimination because of age.

Age discrimination can affect many aspects of employment, including:

• Hiring and job applications
• Firing and layoffs
• Promotions and job assignments
• Pay and benefits
• Training and advancement opportunities
• Workplace policies and conditions
• Discipline and performance evaluations

What Can Age Discrimination Look Like?

Age discrimination is not always obvious. In some cases, an employer may openly make age-related comments or express a preference for younger workers. In others, discrimination may appear through patterns in hiring, promotions, layoffs, performance reviews, or other employment decisions.

Potential signs of age discrimination may include:

• Older employees being disproportionately selected for layoffs
• A qualified older employee being passed over for a younger worker
• Age-related comments, jokes, or harassment
• Pressure to retire
• Assumptions that an older employee cannot adapt to new technology or workplace changes
• Opportunities being directed toward younger employees
• A sudden change in performance evaluations or treatment after age-related comments or discussions

No single circumstance automatically proves age discrimination. The employer’s reasons for its decisions, workplace communications, treatment of other employees, timing, and other evidence may all be relevant.

Can a Workplace Policy Discriminate Against Older Workers?

In some circumstances, yes. Under federal law, a workplace policy or practice that appears neutral may raise age discrimination concerns if it disproportionately harms workers age 40 or older.

Whether a policy violates the ADEA depends on the circumstances. Federal law allows employers to defend certain practices by showing that they are based on reasonable factors other than age.

Retaliation for Reporting Age Discrimination

Employees may also have legal protections against retaliation for opposing age discrimination, filing a discrimination complaint, or participating in certain investigations or proceedings involving age discrimination.

Retaliation can potentially include termination, demotion, reduced opportunities, discipline, or other adverse treatment connected to an employee’s protected activity.

We Fight for the Rights of Spokane Employees

If you believe your employer discriminated against you because of your age, passed you over for an opportunity in favor of a younger worker, targeted you for termination or layoff, harassed you because of your age, or retaliated against you for raising concerns about discrimination, you may have legal options.

Our employment attorneys represent workers facing age discrimination and other forms of workplace discrimination. We approach every case with compassion, strategic thinking, and a commitment to protecting employee rights.

Matern Law Group, PC is committed to pursuing justice for employees whose workplace rights have been violated. Contact us to discuss your situation and learn more about your legal options.