Age Discrimination in Missouri

Fight Age Discrimination in Missouri & Illinois with Riggan Law Firm, LLC

By law, employees who are 40 years or older are in a protected age class, and most public and private employers are prohibited from discriminating against age-protected employees. Riggan Law Firm, LLC represents individuals and groups of people who believe they have been discriminated against because of their age. Just because you are older than other employees, does not mean you have any more reason to be terminated by your company. You have the right to take legal action if you believe you have been thusly discriminated against, and the legal team at Riggan Law Firm, LLC can help.

Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Despite their seniority and higher level of experience, older workers are perceived by some employers to be slow, unproductive, incapable of adapting to change, and lacking in creativity or fresh ideas. Further, in the nation’s recent down economy, employers have taken drastic steps to survive that include the termination of older employees or forcing them into early retirement. However, the law prohibits employers from taking adverse employment actions against older workers age 40 and up, so be aware that you may take legal action if you feel your employer has treated you so.

Recognizing Age Discrimination

Some signs of age discrimination in the workplace may include:

• Age-related comments or bias from managers or co-workers
• Job postings or opportunities that contain age limitations
• Employers asking questions about your age on a job application or in a job interview
• Abrupt and inexplicable termination of an older worker for reasons clearly unrelated to work performance
• Replacement of a terminated older worker with a significantly younger worker
• A layoff of a group of employees that disproportionately affects workers 40 and older

Be aware that in some cases where multiple workers over the age of 40 are terminated as a group, the employer must provide the terminated employees with written information about the ages of the employees who were laid off, as well as those who were not.

Offers of Severance to Workers

If you are 40 or older and your employer offers you a severance package in connection with your separation of employment, then you may be asked to sign a written agreement in which you waive your legal rights and release potentially valuable employment claims.

Note that by law, you must be given a certain amount of time (21 days if terminated individually, and 45 days if terminated in a group) to review and consider the agreement, and you must be advised of your right to seek legal counsel. Additionally, employees 40 and older must be given 7 days to revoke such an agreement after they have signed it.

Contact Riggan Law Firm Today

Signing a severance agreement in the waning years of your career may be the most important work-related decision you ever make. In the absence of sound legal advice, you might risk making the wrong decision with drastic consequences. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your age or you need assistance with the position that you find yourself in due to your age in the workplace, contact an attorney at Riggan Law Firm, LLC today.

For more information, call the firm at (314) 684-8406 or contact them online here.