Pasadena Age Discrimination Lawyer

Experienced Age Discrimination Attorney In Pasadena, CA

Employees should be judged by their skills, experience, and current performance. Unfortunately, many older workers encounter unfair treatment simply due to their age, rather than the unique experience and skills that they bring to the table. Whether an employer turned you away for a job simply due to your age or you are being harassed because of your age, a Pasadena age discrimination lawyer can help you explore your legal options.

Why Work With Esperanza Anderson?

Esperanza Anderson brings 25 years of employment law experience to every case. She is a Pasadena employment lawyer with a Stanford and Georgetown education, which she now uses to defend the rights of employees and seek fair compensation from discriminatory employers. In total, she has recovered more than $15 million for clients.

Esperanza Anderson is also fluent in Spanish.

An Overview of Age Discrimination Laws

Both California and federal age discrimination laws prohibit employers from discriminating against job applicants and employees because of their age, specifically protecting older employees. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) are two of the most powerful legal protections.

Both of these laws protect employees from discrimination, specifically for workers who are 40 years old or older. Employees over 40 are protected in many areas of employment, including:

• Hiring
• Promotions
• Compensation
• Job assignments
• Training opportunities
• Layoffs
• Disciplinary action
• Termination

These protections are particularly important due to California’s aging workforce. Since 2005, the share of workers age 55 and older has grown by 53%. Nationally, 23.2% of the workforce is over 55. Throughout Pasadena, employers such as the California Institute of Technology or NASA must be careful to provide equal treatment and fair workplaces for employees of all ages.

Despite the strict laws, age discrimination still happens. In 2024, the California Civil Rights Department received 5,911 employment complaints requesting to take legal action against an employer due to age discrimination.

Recognizing Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Age discrimination can range from subtle differences in treatment between older and younger employees to overt negative actions based directly on an employee’s age. Examples of age discrimination include:

• Hiring younger applicants instead of older candidates, despite an older candidate’s greater qualifications and experience
• Pervasive negative comments or offensive jokes about your age
• Younger employees receiving promotions in favor of older, more experienced employees
• Being excluded from training opportunities due to your age
• Being forced or pressured to retire early, despite your desire and ability to continue working
• Layoffs that affect older workers disproportionately

If you have noticed any of these examples at your work, or have experienced other unfair treatment due to your age, it is time to reach out to a Pasadena age discrimination attorney about filing a claim against your employer.

Why You Should Hire an Age Discrimination Lawyer

Age discrimination cases can be tricky to navigate, both due to the emotional distress you may be experiencing and the difficulty of succeeding in an age discrimination case. Throughout this process, a Pasadena age discrimination lawyer can provide invaluable guidance to help you get through the legal process while improving your chances of a favorable outcome. Some ways in which a lawyer can help you include:

• Gathering and Reviewing Evidence: The success of your claim relies on the strength of your evidence. A lawyer can preserve evidence from your workplace discrimination and work to include it in your legal strategy. This may include preserving records of communication or obtaining company-wide data when it comes to employees’ ages and the employer’s decision-making.
• Meeting all Procedural Requirements: Filing an age discrimination claim requires you to comply with all deadlines and requirements. These requirements not only depend on California’s age discrimination laws, but also on individual court rules. A lawyer can make sure you meet these requirements, which can help you avoid unnecessary delays or claim denials.
• Pursuing Fair Compensation: Many victims of age discrimination are entitled to compensation for lost wages and benefits, emotional damages, attorney’s fees, and other actual, measurable losses. A lawyer can negotiate for a fair settlement or advocate for your rights in court, improving the chances of a full recovery.

FAQs

What Qualifies as Age Discrimination in California?

Any conduct that involves harassment or discrimination against an employee who is 40 years old or older may qualify as age discrimination in California. This includes discriminatory hiring, firing, promotions, pay decisions, or layoffs. It can also include bullying, offensive jokes and comments, or discriminatory workplace policies regarding retirement.

What Proof Do You Need for Age Discrimination?

In an age discrimination claim against an employer, you must have sufficient evidence to prove that you suffered an adverse action, and the reason for this adverse action was your age, rather than a legitimate reason such as declining performance or lacking required qualifications. Helpful evidence varies by case, but may include:

• Emails or text messages with your employer or with a harasser
• Performance evaluations
• Employment records
• Hiring, promotion, or layoff data
• Records of discriminatory comments

What Age Discrimination Penalties May an Employer Face?

If an employer is found liable for age discrimination, they may face several age discrimination penalties. An employer can be required to compensate an employee for their damages, such as lost wages, lost benefits, emotional distress, or legal fees. They may also be required to provide injunctive relief, such as reinstatement, a promotion, providing additional training to employees, or making changes to workplace retaliation policies.

What Is the Average Payout for Age Discrimination?

There is no average payout for age discrimination because each case’s outcome depends on the individual circumstances, legal strategy, and types of losses the employee suffered. Payouts vary widely, from thousands of dollars to millions of dollars in larger, more serious cases. Typically, cases involving significant lost income, emotional distress, and employer misconduct result in larger payouts.

If you hire an age discrimination lawyer, they can calculate the value of your claim and pursue a fair payout.

Schedule a Consultation

Call Us Today(626) 219-6773

Learn how a Skilled Pasadena Age Discrimination Attorney Can Help

If you believe you have been treated unfairly because of your age, you do not have to face the situation alone. Contact Esperanza Anderson to receive experienced legal guidance on your case.