Under the law, the protected class for age is people aged 40 and older. The federal law that governs age discrimination is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or ADEA. This law encourages employers to hire workers based on abilities and skill, rather than age, and prohibits age discrimination in the workplace.
Who is considered a member of a protected class?
Protected Class: The groups protected from employment discrimination by law. These groups include men and women on the basis of sex; any group which shares a common race, religion, color, or national origin; people over 40; and people with physical or mental handicaps.
When was age added as a protected class?
In 1967, Congress added age to the listed of protected classes with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”).
Is everyone in a protected class?
Because there are lots of different laws, everyone is a member of at least one of the groups protected. For example, both men and women are members of a protected class because both men and women can take legal action if they are unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of their gender.
What are the 11 protected classes?
- Race.
- Color.
- Religion or creed.
- National origin or ancestry.
- Sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity).
- Age.
- Physical or mental disability.
- Veteran status.
Is age a protected category?
Age is another protected class, specifically older (and in some cases, younger) workers. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was passed to prevent employers from treating a worker or applicant unfairly solely on the basis of age.
Are older workers a protected class?
It’s important because older workers (defined by federal law as age 40 or older) are a protected class in the workplace, meaning that your employer can’t discriminate against you on the basis of your age.
What qualifies as age discrimination?
The ban on discrimination by age refers to a person 18 years of age or over in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan: and 19 years of age or over in British Columbia. Canada’s other jurisdictions are not age specific.
References:
- https://www.archives.gov/eeo/terminology.html
- https://subscriptlaw.com/protected-classes/
- https://www.bc-llp.com/protected-class-mean/
- https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/Ibb0a38daef0511e28578f7ccc38dcbee/Protected-Class?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)
- https://www.crosslawfirm.com/blog/2020/05/what-are-the-exceptions-to-age-discrimination-protections/
- https://www.halunenlaw.com/what-are-my-rights-as-an-older-employee-who-has-recently-been-laid-off-from-my-job/
- http://www.agediscrimination.info/international-age-discrimination/canada