Federal, State Lawmakers Tackle Employment Age Bias Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Federal State Lawmakers Tackling Age Discrimination in Employment

AARP urges Congress to protect older workers New Jersey and Connecticut legislatures also pass bills

E+ / Getty Images With more workers beginning to return to their jobs as more Americans get , lawmakers in Congress and some states are addressing the need to against age discrimination. Recent votes on three bills that address on-the-job bias show a growing awareness of how important workers age 50 and older are to the nation's economy. On June 23, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 247-178 to approve the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) with bipartisan support. The legislation would restore protections lost as the result of a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision that made it more difficult for people who face age discrimination in the workplace to successfully challenge age bias in court. The House , but the Senate did not vote on it. AARP continues to urge federal lawmakers to pass POWADA. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. "Today's vote is a crucial moment for older workers who have waited more than a decade for legislation to restore fairness and protections against age discrimination,” AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond said following the House vote. “The sends a clear message that discrimination in the workplace — against older workers or others — is unacceptable. Ageism is not only harmful to workers but for companies, too, who miss out on the experience and expertise older workers bring.” The bill now moves again to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. But as lawmakers look to raise employment numbers that dropped dramatically during the pandemic, the recession's effect on older adults in particular will need to be addressed, advocates say. During economic downturns, older workers typically file more complaints of age discrimination in firing and other workplace actions, according to data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state-level civil rights agencies.

Some states are taking action

While Congress continues to debate POWADA, at least two state legislatures recently approved increased older worker protections. Earlier this week, the New Jersey legislature passed a bill with strong bipartisan support that eliminates language in state law that made it possible for employers to refuse to hire or promote people age 70 and older. The bill, for which AARP New Jersey advocated, also closes loopholes that permitted mandatory retirement ages for government workers and tenured employees at colleges and university. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Earlier in June, the Connecticut legislature passed a bipartisan bill that makes it illegal for employers to ask applicants questions such as when they were born or when they graduated from high school, questions that federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) does not specifically prohibit. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, has signed the bill, making it a law. AARP Connecticut's advocacy for the law included getting older workers to testify about their experiences looking for jobs. AARP volunteer Stacy Stableford of Trumbull, Connecticut, told the legislature what happened to her during a telephone interview with an employment agency when she was 60 years old. "I was asked, ‘What year did you graduate high school?’ My immediate reaction was one of confusion, so I answered honestly,” Stableford said. The agency's response? They immediately hung up, she said. “I possessed every skill needed and many beyond, yet that one age-related question disqualified me in their eyes." Editor’s Note: This article originally was published on June 24, 2021. It has been updated with information about Connecticut’s governor signing the bill. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS