When her bosses told Codie Rael that she was a dumb female who was outdated and old culture, she got fed up and quit her job. Then she filed a lawsuit against the company for age-discrimination. If you find yourself facing age discrimination, speaking to a local labor law attorney could open some doors for you.
Outcome of the Age-Discrimination Case
A jury found that Rael’s employers were malicious and oppressive, and hit them with a $31 million judgment: $3 million in compensatory damages and a whopping $28 million in punitive damages.
State and Federal Anti Age-Discrimination Laws
There are laws on the books protecting you from age discrimination in advertising for jobs, the application processes, hiring, offering promotions and training opportunities, and/or firing. Compensation and working conditions cannot be assigned based on age, either.
Is it Age-Discrimination?
Proving age discrimination is getting tougher these days. Rael’s case was littered with overt age slurs, making it easier to prove that her age was an issue with her employers. Most employers are smart enough to know that making disparaging remarks about an employee’s age could get them into trouble.
In past years, older employees who were let go as part of a reduction in staff could infer that age-discrimination was at the root of the termination. Recent court decisions have found that companies that are trying to reduce costs are within their rights to eliminate higher earning individuals—often those who are older. Reducing costs and age discrimination no longer go hand in hand. In order to win a discrimination case, employees must demonstrate that age was a central issue behind the firing.
If You Think You Have an Age-Discrimination Case
In the event you believe you have a case for age-discrimination, it is important to pay attention to timelines:
- You have 300 days to file an age discrimination case with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if a state agency enforces anti-discrimination laws (California’s Fair Housing and Employment Act (FEHA) protects employees at work places that employ five or more people);
- If you are filing suit under the Equal Pay Act, you have two years from the time of the incident to make your claim.
You Deserve Better Treatment
If you have experienced age-discrimination, you may be entitled to back pay, future earnings that were lost, remuneration for emotional distress, and punitive damages. You may also be entitled to your old job if you still want it, along with changes in policies at the company. Most importantly, you can gain back the self-respect that your employer so viciously maligned. At Beck Law P.C., we understand the humiliation and degradation of age discrimination, and will fight tirelessly for your rights. If you live in Sonoma County, Mendocino County or Lake County California, contact our Santa Rosa office today for a confidential consultation. The Santa Rosa law office of Beck Law P.C., is located at 2681 Cleveland Avenue, south of the Empire College School of Law and north of Coddingtown Mall.