WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Elaine Luria today announced the House passage of the Protecting Older Workers from Discrimination Act (H.R. 1230). This bipartisan bill would strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers to prevent ageism in the workplace.
“It is unacceptable that older Americans are routinely discriminated against in the workplace simply because of their age,” Congresswoman Elaine Luria said. “Ageism has no place in today’s society and Congress must stand strongly against it in order to ensure that we have the most competitive workforce in the world—which includes our seniors. I will continue to work across the aisle to ensure that seniors are treated with the respect that they earned.”
H.R. 1230 would restore the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which was weakened by the Supreme Court’s 2009 verdict in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. This ruling overturned precedent, requiring individuals to prove that age discrimination was the sole motivating factor for the employer’s adverse action. The Protecting Older Workers from Discrimination Act would return legal standards to the pre-2009 evidentiary threshold to restore ADEA. It will also allow victims of discrimination to report a mixed motive claim to prove wrongdoing.
A 2018 study from the American Association of Retired People (AARP) found that three in five workers age 45 and older have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workforce. The Protecting Older Workers from Discrimination Act would address this by restoring workplace protections for older workers.
Congresswoman Luria has been an active advocate for American seniors. She is a cosponsor of the Older Americans Bill of Rights which seeks to uphold seniors’ fundamental rights. She also voted for the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), which would lower the costs of prescription drugs for seniors
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More fluff and worthless legislation. A real “feelgood” sounding piece that defines nothing and accomplishes nothing. Wasted time in Congress. Good Luck enforcing it. It may be helpful in a government office where there is plenty of oversight. In the average American small business ? Who can do, or prove, anything ? Or afford to hire a lawyer to fix a real problem ?
In the meantime Ms. Luria could notice that 65 is the new 55 and she could do some real good by getting medical cost assistance to all seniors. Nationally create a program like Tennessee has that pays for medical expenses for seniors. I believe they call it Tenncare. Above the 80% that Medicare covers, Tn. pays for their hearing, eyeglass, prescriptions and dental. No deductible. A further expansion of Medicare. Got any friends or relatives in Tn ? Go ask ’em. In a State with no income tax. Hmmmmmm……Money talks. B.S. walks Elaine. Get some real work done in congress.