Age Discrimination Lawyers
In New York City, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against their employees due to age-related reasons. But unfortunately, many employers still break this law. If you or your loved one has been discriminated against due to age-related reasons, you may need the help of age discrimination lawyers.
Case Illustration
Despite numerous lawsuits involving giant companies in the country, some employers never learn. For example, in 2013, a jury in Los Angeles awarded T.J. Simers $15.4 million as compensation against age discrimination by the Los Angeles Times. The plaintiff had filed a lawsuit against the media company for discriminating against him due to his age and disability.
In 2019, Google settled an age-discrimination lawsuit for $11 million. The class-action lawsuit involved 227 plaintiffs who accused the company of discriminating against job applicants aged 40 and above. Each plaintiff was awarded around $35,000. In addition to the settlement, the plaintiff ordered the parent company Alphabet Inc. to:
- train employees and managers about age discrimination;
- establish a committee on age diversity in recruiting; and
- address complaints about age discrimination.
Identifying Age Discrimination
Age discrimination occurs when an employer mistreats an employee due to the employee’s age. For example, suppose your employer prevents you from getting additional training because they think you’re too old but allows other younger employees to attend the training. This could be a case of age discrimination.
Legal Definitions
As mentioned before, age discrimination at the workplace occurs when an employer discriminates against an employee because of their age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits age discrimination against individuals ages 40 and above.
New York City Law also protects workers who are being discriminated against for being “too young” as well as those over 40.
Workers’ Rights and Protections
As a New York City worker, the law protects you against certain practices by employers, as far as age discrimination is concerned. Here’s an overview of your rights and protections under these laws.
In New York City, it is unlawful for employers with four or more employees to make hiring, firing, or other employment decisions based on age, even if the employee is under 40 years old. The same applies to independent contractors.
These New York City protections also cover decisions relating to salaries, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, and termination of employment. For example, if your employer fires you due to your age, you may be entitled to protections under ADEA laws.
Do I Have an Age Discrimination Case?
Age discrimination cases vary depending on the circumstances in which they occur. Here are some examples of situations that could warrant the need to file an age discrimination lawsuit against an employer.
You may have an age discrimination case if an employer:
- denies you access to an apprentice program because of your age;
- refuses to hire or promote you due to your age;
- refuses to maintain the same terms of employment, including payment, due to your age;
- attempts to find out your age to prevent you from accessing certain opportunities unless there are valid reasons, such as licensing, for such a question;
- denies you certain benefits or memberships due to your age; or
- forces you to retire due to your age – however, there are certain exceptions to this rule.
Claims Process
If you or your loved one has been discriminated against due to age-related reasons, you can file a claim with an administrative agency. This commission handles employment violations across the state and the entire nation.
However, it’s never advisable to file such a claim without legal assistance. This is because the claims process is complicated. In addition, as mentioned earlier, some age discrimination rules have exceptions. An experienced employment lawyer will evaluate your case and advise you accordingly. This saves you valuable time and gives you confidence knowing that your case is being handled by an employment law expert.
Although it is always advisable to consult an employment attorney, you should only work with the best. Here’s what to look for in the right employment attorney NYC:
How to Choose the Best Age Discrimination Lawyer for Your Claim
When looking for the best employment lawyer in New York City, ask your friends or family if they know any good age discrimination lawyers that they would recommend. You can also ask your attorney friends if you have any. At this point, you’ll most likely have a list of at least three attorneys or law firms to choose from. The next step is to schedule a consultation with them.
During the initial consultation, find out more about the attorney’s experience in handling these cases. Employment law is broad, and for this reason, you need an attorney who can handle your specific matter.
It is also important to pay special attention to the attorney’s level of knowledge during the initial consultation. Do they sound knowledgeable enough to handle your case? If not, you may want to choose a different attorney.
Be honest with the attorney during the initial consultation. Let them know your wishes and expectations regarding the case. The attorney will review your case and advise you on what to expect.
Repeat the same procedure with other law firms or attorneys on your list, and then settle for the right candidate.
How R&M Can Help
If you or your loved one has been discriminated against at the workplace, Ricotta & Marks is here to help. Our law firm handles all employment-related cases, including those involving age discrimination.
We firmly believe that changing the workplace can change the world. To do this, it is increasingly necessary to fight discrimination in the workplace.
Employers in New York are aware of what they should or should not do when dealing with existing or potential employees. However, despite knowing this, they still violate workers’ rights. Unfortunately, most employees whose rights have been violated rarely seek legal advice. Some are not aware of their rights, while others may choose to stay silent because they are afraid of employer retaliation, even though it is illegal for employers to retaliate against their employees.
If that is what you are going through, our attorneys can help. Our employment attorneys are uniquely equipped to handle all employment-related cases.
While other law firms handle such cases on the side, you can count on our experience in this field to provide excellent legal representation for your case. In addition, we are familiar with the different employment laws at the city, state, and federal levels, thanks to the more than35 years of combined experience our law firm boasts.
Do not suffer in silence when you can have an experienced employment lawyer fight for your rights. We have won some of the state’s highest verdicts in recent years.
Our age discrimination lawyers serve clients in Queens, Long Island City, Carle Place, Astoria, Bronx, Flushing, Jamaica, NY, Great Neck, Brooklyn, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the surrounding areas.
Call us today at 347-960-4383 to schedule a free consultation or contact us online and we’ll get in touch within 24 hours or less.