Bergen County, NJ Age Discrimination Attorney
Age discrimination continues to affect workers across New Jersey. If you have been treated unfairly because of your age, Castronovo & McKinney, LLC can help you understand your rights and pursue legal action against your employer.
Our employment attorneys represent employees throughout Bergen County, NJ in age discrimination claims under both New Jersey and federal law. Whether you were denied a job, passed over for a promotion, demoted, harassed, or wrongfully terminated because of your age, we are prepared to advocate for you. We work to resolve cases through negotiation when possible, but we are fully prepared to litigate when necessary to pursue the compensation and accountability you deserve.
If you believe age played a role in your employer’s decision, contact Castronovo & McKinney, LLC to discuss your legal options.
Protecting Employees in Bergen County Against Age Discrimination
Both federal and New Jersey laws prohibit employers from making employment decisions based on age.
The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects employees and applicants who are 40 years of age or older from discrimination involving hiring, termination, compensation, promotions, layoffs, training, benefits, and other terms of employment. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 strengthened these protections by safeguarding benefits for older employees.
New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD) provides even broader protections. Unlike federal law, the LAD applies to virtually all employers in the state and protects workers between the ages of 18 and 70 from unlawful age discrimination. Employers cannot make employment decisions based on age or treat employees differently because they are perceived as too old or too young.
Age discrimination may involve:
- Hiring or termination decisions based on age
- Forced retirement or discriminatory layoffs
- Denial of promotions, raises, or training opportunities
- Unequal pay or employee benefits
- Harassment that creates a hostile work environment
- Other adverse employment actions motivated by age
Recognizing Age Discrimination in Bergen County
Age discrimination often targets experienced employees and may be difficult to recognize because employers rarely admit their true motives. Instead, discriminatory decisions are frequently disguised as performance issues, restructuring, or business necessity.
Examples of age discrimination include:
- Favoring younger applicants over qualified older candidates
- Selecting older employees for layoffs while retaining younger workers in similar roles
- Denying promotions, bonuses, or professional development opportunities because of age
- Isolating older employees from projects, meetings, or workplace activities
- Pressuring employees to retire before they choose to do so
- Making repeated age-related comments or stereotypes in the workplace
Employment practices that disproportionately affect workers age 40 or older without a legitimate, nondiscriminatory business reason may violate state or federal law. An experienced employment attorney can evaluate the facts of your case and determine whether your rights have been violated.
Example of Age Discrimination
Age discrimination is often concealed during workforce reductions or company reorganizations. For example, the National Law Review discussed the case of Robert Braden, who was terminated because his employer claimed there was no longer enough work for his position. Less than a year later, the company filled the same role with another employee. Situations like this may indicate that a reduction in force was used as a pretext for unlawful age discrimination.
How Castronovo & McKinney Can Help
Our attorneys evaluate the facts of your case, explain your legal rights, and develop a strategy tailored to your circumstances. We investigate the employer’s actions, gather evidence, negotiate with employers when appropriate, and pursue litigation when necessary.
Our goal is to hold employers accountable for unlawful discrimination while seeking compensation for lost wages, lost benefits, emotional distress, and other available damages under New Jersey and federal law.
Contact Our Bergen County, NJ Age Discrimination Attorneys
If you believe you have been subjected to age discrimination in Bergen County, NJ, Castronovo & McKinney, LLC is ready to help. We represent employees throughout New Jersey in claims involving unlawful workplace discrimination and fight to protect their rights under state and federal law.
Contact Castronovo & McKinney, LLC today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can assist with your age discrimination claim.
