Florida Age Discrimination Attorney
Age discrimination is a serious issue that no employee should have to face. Unfortunately, this type of employment discrimination still occurs despite state and federal laws designed to prevent it. If you’ve been discriminated against because of your age, it’s important to have a Florida age discrimination lawyer on your side to protect your workplace rights.
At Yormak Employment & Disability Law in Florida, our experienced team can help you understand the laws that are in place to protect you and provide you with the legal representation you need for your age discrimination case. Our firm is led by Benjamin Yormak, who is one of the few board-certified employment law experts in Florida and has extensive experience representing clients who have been unlawfully discriminated against due to their age.
If you’re looking for a Florida age discrimination lawyer, contact Yormak Employment & Disability Law today to schedule a confidential consultation. We know the law and are here to help you protect your workplace rights. Let us fight for justice on your behalf.
What is Age Discrimination in the Workplace?
Age discrimination in the workplace occurs when an individual is treated unfairly or differently because of their age. This can include hiring, promotion, termination, or other employment decisions based on age, as well as discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment, such as pay or benefits.
Age discrimination can have a significant impact on employees, leading to lost opportunities and financial harm. If you believe that you have been the victim of age discrimination, it is important to seek legal advice to protect your rights and seek justice.
Examples of Age Discrimination in the Workplace
Age discrimination in the workplace can take many forms. Some common examples of age discrimination include:
- Hiring and promotion practices that discriminate based on age
- Terminating or demoting an employee because of their age
- Harassment or mistreatment of an employee because of their age
- Paying an employee less or providing them with fewer benefits or opportunities for advancement because of their age
- Setting different terms and conditions of employment for employees of different ages
- Refusing to hire or promote an individual because of their age
- Failing to provide reasonable accommodations for older employees
- Using age as a factor in layoffs or restructuring.
If you believe that you have been the victim of age discrimination in the workplace, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. An experienced employment law attorney can help you to understand your rights and options for pursuing a legal claim.
Overview of Age Discrimination Laws in Florida
Age discrimination in the workplace is prohibited under both federal and state law in Florida, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Fair Employment Practices Act (FEP).
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals who are 40 years of age or older in the workplace. It applies to employers with 20 or more employees and protects employees and job applicants from being treated unfairly or differently because of their age. Under the ADEA, it is illegal for an employer to make employment decisions based on age, such as hiring, firing, promoting, or demoting an employee, or setting the terms and conditions of employment. It is also illegal for an employer to discriminate against an individual in the terms and conditions of their employment, such as by paying them less or providing them with fewer benefits or opportunities for advancement, because of their age.
The Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA)
The Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) is a state law that prohibits discrimination against individuals of any age in the workplace. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees and protects employees and job applicants from being treated unfairly or differently because of their age. The FCRA prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on age, such as hiring, firing, promoting, or demoting an employee, or setting the terms and conditions of employment. It also prohibits discrimination against an individual in the terms and conditions of their employment, such as by paying them less or providing them with fewer benefits or opportunities for advancement, because of their age.
Who is Protected Under Florida Age Discrimination Laws?
Both the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) protect employees and job applicants from discrimination on the basis of age. The ADEA applies to individuals who are 40 years of age or older, while the FCRA applies to individuals of any age. These laws protect employees and job applicants from being treated unfairly or differently because of their age and prohibit employers from making employment decisions based on age.
How An Age Discrimination Lawyer Can Help
First, an attorney can help you to understand your rights and options for pursuing a legal claim. If you believe that you have been the victim of age discrimination, an attorney can review the facts of your case and help you to understand whether you may have a claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) or the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA). An attorney can also advise you on the time limits for filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) and for pursuing a legal claim, as well as the procedures and requirements for doing so.
Second, an attorney can help you to prepare and file a complaint with the EEOC or FCHR. This can involve completing the necessary forms and providing supporting documentation, such as witness statements or other evidence of discrimination. An attorney can also represent you in any negotiations or mediation that may be conducted by these agencies.
Third, an attorney can represent you in court if your case is not resolved through the EEOC or FCHR process or if you receive a “right to sue” letter. This can involve preparing and filing a lawsuit, conducting discovery (the process of gathering evidence and information from the other party), negotiating a settlement, and representing you at trial.
Overall, an attorney can provide valuable assistance and representation in enforcing your rights under age discrimination laws in Florida.
Remedies for Age Discrimination Cases
If you believe that you have been the victim of age discrimination in the workplace, there are a number of remedies that may be available to you. These can include:
- Reinstatement: If you were fired or demoted because of your age, you may be able to seek reinstatement to your former position or a comparable position.
- Back pay: If you have lost wages or benefits as a result of age discrimination, you may be able to recover these losses through back pay.
- Front pay: If you are unable to return to your former position, you may be able to seek damages for future lost wages or benefits.
- Compensatory Damages: You may be able to recover damages for any emotional distress or other harm that you have suffered as a result of age discrimination.
- Punitive Damages: In some cases, you may be able to seek damages to punish the employer for particularly egregious conduct.
- Attorneys’ Fees: You may be able to recover the costs of hiring an attorney to represent you in an age discrimination case.
It is important to note that the remedies available to you will depend on the specific circumstances of your case, as well as the laws that apply. An experienced employment law attorney can help you to understand your rights and the remedies that may be available to you.
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation
At Yormak Employment & Disability Law, we understand the challenges that employees face when they believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of their age. Our team can help you protect your rights and seek the justice and compensation that you deserve. We are proud to be one of the few board-certified employment law experts in Florida and are committed to providing you with the highest quality legal representation. Contact us today for a confidential consultation.