Age Discrimination in Employment Act

United States [1967]

Also known as: ADEA

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July 21, 2026

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The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was signed into law in the United States in 1967. This legislation was enacted to protect workers from age-based discrimination in the workplace. Initially, it covered individuals between the ages of 40 and 65, but these protections were later extended.

Ageism, the prejudice or discrimination based on age, can manifest in various forms, including institutional, interpersonal, and internalized. While it is no longer socially acceptable to discriminate based on many characteristics, ageism remains a prevalent issue. Stereotypes often portray older individuals as mentally diminished or physically frail, impacting their employment, healthcare, and overall well-being. The ADEA aims to combat these discriminatory practices, although its application, as seen in cases like Smith v. City of Jackson, Mississippi, can be subject to interpretation regarding "reasonable factors other than age".12

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ageism
Ageism’s impacts
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), signed into law in 1967, was the first legislation in the United States to address age discrimination in the workplace. It initially provided protections for workers ages 40 to 65 but extended the maximum age to 70 in 1978…
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The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), signed into law in 1967, was the first legislation in the United States to address age discrimination in the workplace. It initially provided protections for workers ages 40 to 65 but extended the maximum age to 70 in 1978…
Read More

Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents
…a 1974 amendment to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 that abrogated the general immunity of states under the Eleventh Amendment to lawsuits by individuals to permit such actions against states and state agencies that violated the statute. The original ADEA was a federal law that protected…
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…a 1974 amendment to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 that abrogated the general immunity of states under the Eleventh Amendment to lawsuits by individuals to permit such actions against states and state agencies that violated the statute. The original ADEA was a federal law that protected…
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Smith v. City of Jackson, Mississippi
…claims alleging violations of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) may be brought on the basis of an adverse disparate impact on a legally protected group, in this case the older officers of the police department of the city of Jackson, Mississippi. In so ruling, however, the…
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…claims alleging violations of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) may be brought on the basis of an adverse disparate impact on a legally protected group, in this case the older officers of the police department of the city of Jackson, Mississippi. In so ruling, however, the…
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