When many people talk about age discrimination, they are really referring to discrimination against older workers. For example, maybe someone who is in their 50s keeps trying to get an office job but is never really considered because only recent college graduates are being hired. Or, maybe an employee feels like they were terminated from their position so that they could be replaced with a younger worker. This feels unfair to them because their age, of course, is out of their control.
The reason for this focus is often just that the federal protections against age discrimination are for older workers. They stipulate that workers cannot be discriminated against simply for being 40 years old or older. But what about younger workers? Is it possible to be discriminated against for being too young?
The Florida laws may offer more protections
What you find is that the state-level laws in Florida actually do offer a bit more protection than what you would get from the federal government. Florida notes that age discrimination is illegal, but does not specify what age that person needs to be. Therefore, if the discrimination is based on age at all, then it could be a violation of your rights.
An example of this could be if a business refuses to hire anyone who is in Gen Z. Some businesses will even post job listings saying that anyone from this generation should not apply. But it is illegal to do so under the law in Florida.
If you feel that you have been discriminated against, it’s very important to know exactly what steps you can take next.