ALL ABOUT BABY BOOMERS
ADEA And Baby Boomers – Knowing Your Rights
As baby boomers close in on retirement, many are finding themselves without a job based on their age. If this is the case, there are ways to fight age discrimination.
Baby boomers are facing an increasing problem as the years go on. Besides worrying about social security and where they will go once, they retire, baby boomers are having a challenging time maintaining jobs. This isn’t because of credentials or qualifications. It has to do with their age.
Baby boomers were born post World War II and before the Vietnam War when there was a massive increase in the number of children that were born in the United States. This large group of people and companies are having a harder time maintaining them.
The problems arise because the baby boomer generation is making a ton of money. Companies fire the older person, who is in their 50s and hire a young person out of college for half the salary. There is a way to fight this and that’s with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
Everyone is protected from discrimination based simply on their age. The Equal Employment Commission has been inundated with age discrimination complaints over the past few years. There was an increase of 41 percent between 1999 and 2002 and it keeps going up.
Baby boomers don’t have to worry about their job security when they know they have the EEOC working for them. If a problem does happen at work, consider all the reasons. If you know you were doing an excellent job and there was no other reason for your firing, talk to the EEOC and see if someone can help you.
Unfortunately, during these times of inflation, companies are making less money. They are looking at ways to save and will either lay off workers or buy them out. The oldest and highest paid are usually the first ones to go.
The ADEA isn’t a new concept. Discriminating in the workplace based on age has been illegal since 1967 when a law was passed that said no one is allowed to be discriminated based on any reason such as religion, race, sex, gender, and age.
For baby boomers, growing up during the civil rights movement could make you want to fight if you are fired. If you have the right to, just take the proper steps to ensure you are getting everything you need.
Today’s baby boomers tend to have a stigma of being unhappy or jaded. If you look at everything they must deal with, it’s easy to understand. Baby boomers not only have to be concerned with their job safety, but what will happen once they finish working.
Social security is a mess and estimates say there won’t be enough to pay everyone. Healthcare is on the rise and with more baby boomers hitting the Medicare age, it will cost even more for medical bills. The worry and concern over these issues is valid. So, the last thing anyone of the baby boomer generation wants to worry about is whether they are being discriminated against based on age at their workplace.
If you have felt discriminated against based on age, call your local EOCC chapter. Speak with a representative and explain what has happened in your situation. They will explain to you the steps you need to take and where to go. You can even retain a lawyer if you feel you have a strong enough case.
Find one that specializes in these types of cases. Getting someone with experience will be able to help you and show you all the exact steps that you will need to take. You don’t have to take it lying down. If you feel strongly that you have been discriminated against based on age, fight for your job and livelihood back.
Best Wishes, Coyalita
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