Cleveland Age Discrimination Lawyer

Defending Against Age Discrimination Claims

If you’ve been in the workforce for decades, you deserve to be treated as the well-respected, knowledgeable employee that you are. Unfortunately, many older employees do not feel this way at work, as they face age discrimination by their employers and coworkers.

If this is the case for you, contact Watson Kuhlman, LLC to determine if you have a solid age discrimination claim. Our Cleveland, Ohio attorneys have extensive experience representing clients in employment law cases involving age discrimination, gender discrimination, and other types of discrimination prohibited by state and federal law. Call our Cleveland law office for a consultation.

What Is Age Discrimination?

Age discrimination occurs when an employee who is 40 or older experiences adverse employment action due to their age. State and federal laws, like the Ohio Revised Code and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, make it illegal to discriminate against employees age 40 or over, as employees who reach this age are in a protected class.

Older workers often notice age discrimination after they’ve been working at a company for a while and start to see substantially younger workers get hired and receive preferential treatment. However, it can occur even before you start working at a job, as you might notice unfair treatment during the application process.

Whether you’ve experienced age discrimination while interviewing for a position or after working for a company for years, you should report your concerns to ensure you and other older workers don’t have to deal with unfair treatment at work.

What Are Examples of Age Discrimination at Work?

To have an employment discrimination case, you must have proof of adverse employment actions based on age, such as:

• Not being hired because you’re over 40
• Missing out on promotions and pay raises because you’re over 40
• Being fired or demoted while substantially younger employees keep their jobs
• Not being offered the same benefits as younger employees
• Witnessing offensive jokes, slurs, or harmful actions due to your age
• Being retaliated against for reporting age discrimination

A skilled Ohio discrimination attorney can review the details of your situation to determine if you should pursue compensation. Call our law firm today to speak with a caring Cleveland age discrimination attorney.

How Can You Prove You Were Discriminated Against Based on Age?

Workplace discrimination can be difficult to prove, since employers don’t want to admit when they’re taking an adverse employment action based on age. This is where an experienced age discrimination attorney comes in, as they know what evidence to gather to prove your claim.

To have a chance of winning your case, you must prove that you’re over 40 years old and that your employer is aware of this. You must also describe the adverse employment action you suffered, such as being forced into retirement and replaced by younger employees or not making it past the application process once your age was apparent.

You and your age discrimination attorney can work together to prove that you were mistreated or suffered wrongful termination by finding evidence proving that your age became an issue to your employer. For example, if your employer said you were fired or demoted due to poor job performance, a history of only positive performance reviews can refute this claim.

If you can find proof of age-related jokes at work or job descriptions that favor younger workers, you can support your claim of wrongful termination or other adverse actions due to age. A skilled employment law attorney will work hard to show that your employer violated state and federal employment laws like the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, so call our law firm in Cleveland, Ohio today.

Are You Ready to Contact a Cleveland Age Discrimination Lawyer?

Older workers who suffered wrongful termination and other devastating actions in the workplace deserve justice. Being fired or demoted can be humiliating and disheartening, especially when you suspect it’s due to your age.

Luckily, trusted Ohio lawyers can make the situation right for you by filing a complaint with specific agencies to hold the business accountable. They can then file a lawsuit in a state or federal court so you can get compensation. Your settlement can include money for lost wages, missing benefits, and any other losses you suffered.

At Watson Kuhlman, LLC, we’ve helped numerous older workers pursue justice against discriminatory businesses. If you’re interested in our legal services, call our Cleveland, Ohio law firm at 216-208-7858.