There's nothing more like a slap in the face than to be fired, or as your employer most likely put it "asked to retire early"--without retirement benefits--after years of service to an employer.

Or maybe you're looking for a new start, a change in career, but all potential employers look at people in your age range--in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s--as too close to retirement or too "behind" with the latest business techniques and technologies to make hiring you worthwhile.

You know better than that. A company for which you've worked for decades definitely owes you more than such shoddy treatment. And you're as up to date with the latest in business practices as any recent college grad--in fact, with all of your experience and/or education, you're far more qualified for the job. Age discrimination, however, is a sad reality too often for employees over 40 in the workplace.

You don't have to put up with age discrimination. If you think that you really have been asked to leave or refused a new job because of your age and you are 40 years or older, you are protected under The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975.

The Age Discrimination Act covers age discrimination not only in firings and hirings, but also when you have been given a layoff, denied a promotion, denied equal benefits or compensation, denied job assignments, or not selected for additional training based on your age.

If you think you have a case for age discrimination, you can consult with an attorney who specializes in age discrimination lawsuits. Oftentimes this show of power, by standing up for yourself against age discrimination in the workplace, is enough for an employer to rethink its policies and offer you equal opportunities and/or a cash settlement before you even take the case to court.

If the employer will not admit to age discrimination and wants to take your case to court, remember that you have the law on your side if you have sufficient evidence of your equal qualification for the job, benefits, or other workplace advantage denied to you.

Some age discrimination cases have been successfully filed against employers who fired or turned away people as young as in their 30s for younger more "attractive" employees. You won't be sure if you can file an age discrimination lawsuit or not unless you take the plunge and consult with an age discrimination attorney!

Try searching for an age discrimination attorney at an attorney search engine like anattorneyforyou.com. Attorneys who specialize in age discrimination know the minute details of The Age Discrimination Act and can help you settle your case quickly and let you get back to being the motivated, qualified, and skilled worker that you really are!

About the Author

frank j vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.aarp-now.info Aarp