Age Discrimination

Washington, D.C. Age Discrimination Attorney

Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC represents employees in Washington, D.C. who were fired, demoted, denied opportunities, pressured to retire, or treated unfairly because of age.

Age discrimination can affect your job, your income, and your sense of security at work. Whether you were passed over for a position, pushed out of your longtime role, denied a promotion, or treated differently because of your age, you may have legal recourse. Both federal and Washington, D.C. law protect workers from age-based unfair treatment in many employment situations. Still, proving this kind of misconduct isn’t always easy.

This is when guidance from a Washington, D.C. age discrimination lawyer can make a real difference. An age discrimination attorney from Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC, can review the facts, explain your rights, and help you decide what steps to take. Our employment law attorneys represent workers facing discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and other unlawful workplace treatment.

If you believe age discrimination played a role in how your employer treated you, contact our employment law firm today to discuss your situation with a lawyer and learn how we may be able to help.

What Is Age Discrimination at Work?

Age discrimination happens when an employer treats a worker or job applicant unfairly based on their age. In employment law, this issue often involves older workers who may face biased assumptions about their skills, adaptability, value, or long-term role in a workplace.

These cases aren’t always obvious. Sometimes the problem appears in direct comments or decisions, but in many situations, it’s hidden behind neutral language or legitimate-sounding business explanations. This can make age discrimination hard to identify and even harder to challenge without help from an experienced attorney from an employee rights law firm. Workers shouldn’t have to accept unfair treatment simply because of their age. Federal, state, and local laws give many employees important protections, and being able to recognize age discrimination when it happens can help workers take steps to protect their rights and livelihoods.

Age discrimination often overlaps with discrimination and retaliation claims when an employee is punished for reporting unfair treatment.

Common Forms of Age Discrimination in Employment

Age discrimination in employment can take many forms, and it’s not always immediately apparent what’s going on. In some cases, the problem appears in clear workplace decisions. In others, it shows up through patterns of treatment that place older workers at a disadvantage. Some common examples of employment-related age discrimination include:

Refusing to hire a qualified applicant because the employer believes they’re too old for the role
Favoring younger workers when making decisions about promotions, leadership opportunities, or advancement
Reducing an older employee’s duties based on assumptions about their energy, adaptability, or long-term value
Singling out older workers for layoffs, restructuring decisions, or workforce reductions
Pressuring an employee to retire earlier than planned
Making age-based remarks that affect the terms, conditions, or atmosphere of employment
Denying training or professional development opportunities to older employees
Reassigning an older worker to a less desirable role without a valid reason
Paying an older employee less favorably than similarly situated younger workers
Using workplace policies that appear neutral but have a harsher effect on older employees
Giving unjustified negative evaluations that seem tied to age rather than actual performance
Retaliating against a worker who reports concerns about age-based treatment

What Are Your Rights as a Washington, D.C. Worker?

Workers in Washington, D.C. have protections under both local and federal law when age affects employment decisions. The D.C. Human Rights Act lists age as a protected trait in employment in the District, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protects applicants and employees age 40 and older from age-based discrimination.

Age discrimination claims in D.C. may involve federal law, local D.C. law, or both, depending on the employer, the worker, and where the discriminatory conduct occurred. The EEOC states that the ADEA protects workers age 40 and older, while D.C. OHR identifies employment as an enforcement area under D.C. human rights protections.

As a Washington, D.C. worker, some of your key rights under the law include protection against:

Discrimination in hiring, firing, pay, promotions, job assignments, training, benefits, and other terms or conditions of employment
Age-based harassment that becomes severe or frequent enough to create a hostile work environment or affect an employment decision
Retaliation for reporting age discrimination, participating in an investigation, or asserting workplace rights under the law
Policies that appear neutral but have a harmful effect on older workers without a lawful basis
Discrimination in employee benefits and other terms or conditions of employment

The law also gives you the right to file a complaint against your employer. If the discrimination occurred in Washington, D.C. you may work with an experienced lawyer from our law firm to file a complaint with the D.C. Office of Human Rights, even if you don’t live in the District. You can also file a complaint through the EEOC.

What Evidence Can Help Support Your Age Discrimination Claim?

Age discrimination claims rely on strong evidence that shows more than just your personal belief that age influenced your employer’s decision. Actual documentation and evidence of patterns that suggest age was a factor in the treatment you received can go a long way toward achieving a successful outcome with your claim. Some types of evidence you might gather when preparing your claim include:

Emails, texts, or written comments that refer to your age or suggest a preference for younger employees
Performance reviews, disciplinary records, or termination documents that conflict with your employer’s stated reason for its actions
Job postings or internal hiring materials that appear to favor younger candidates
Records showing that younger workers were treated more favorably in similar situations
Witness statements from coworkers, supervisors, or others who observed the conduct

An employment discrimination lawyer from the law firm of Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC, can help you gather and review this information. Our lawyers can identify weaknesses in your employer’s explanation and determine whether the available evidence supports a legal claim.

Compensation in a Washington, D.C. Age Discrimination Claim

The compensation you might be eligible to recover through an age discrimination claim depends on the facts in your case, the law that applies, and the nature of the harm you suffered. Remedies in these cases may involve payment for financial losses or non-monetary relief meant to address the employer’s conduct or restore your position. Depending on the claim, available relief may include:

Back pay for lost wages and benefits tied to the discriminatory action
Reinstatement to a former position, when appropriate
Front pay in situations where returning to the job is not a realistic option
Other equitable or legal relief a court finds appropriate under the ADEA or DCHRA
In some cases, additional damages for willful violations of the ADEA
Reimbursement of the attorneys’ fees and expenses.

What's the Deadline to File a Claim?

The amount of time you have to file an age discrimination claim depends on which law applies and where you file the complaint. If you’re pursuing a federal age discrimination charge through the EEOC, the deadline is generally 180 days from the discriminatory act. However, age-based claims may extend to 300 days only when a state law, not just a local law, prohibits age discrimination and a state agency enforces that law. If you’re filing through the D.C. Office of Human Rights, you must do so within one year of the discriminatory act. Keep in mind that federal and D.C. government employees may face shorter deadlines and different procedures. One of our attorneys can explain which time limit applies to your claim.

Contact a Washington, D.C. Age Discrimination Attorney Today

You have specific rights as a worker, and your employer has an obligation to honor them. If you’ve faced age-related discrimination at work, you may be entitled to compensation or other remedies for the harm you’ve experienced. The Washington, D.C. age discrimination lawyers at Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC, can explain your legal rights and options and work with you to bring a claim. From our Washington, D.C. office at 1400 16th St NW, Suite 500, we represent employees in workplace discrimination and retaliation matters. Contact our law firm to arrange a consultation with an experienced employment law attorney.

What Steps Should You Take?

One of the most important steps you can take as a victim is to reach out for help as soon as possible. We will take immediate action on your behalf, seeking to halt any further mistreatment and begin building a strong case on your behalf.

You can learn about the legal options available to you after experiencing age discrimination by calling our conveniently located Washington, D.C., office today at 202.745.1942 or by email. We also serve clients in Virginia, Maryland and across the country.