ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

Federal Laws Regulating the Workplace

What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employment discrimination based on age. For purposes of this statute, age is defined as forty years of age or older. Thus, under the ADEA, an employer could refuse to hire you because you are twenty-five years old. However, some state laws prohibiting age discrimination have a broader definition of the protected class. For example, Oregon prohibits age discrimination against anyone eighteen years of age or older, while Michigan has no specific age limits.