As you accumulate years of experience in your career, you expect to be valued for your wisdom, skill, and dedication. Unfortunately, for many hardworking individuals in Kansas City and across Missouri and Kansas, age becomes a target for unfair and illegal treatment in the workplace. If you are over 40 and suspect you have been sidelined, pushed out, or denied opportunities because of your age, you are not alone, and you have the law behind you.

At Edelman, Liesen & Myers L.L.P., our dedicated employment law attorneys have seen firsthand the devastating impact of age discrimination on individuals and their families. We are committed to defending the rights of workers and holding employers accountable for their unlawful actions.

What is Age Discrimination?

Age discrimination involves treating an applicant or employee less favorably because of their age. This illegal practice is prohibited by federal and state laws, most notably the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older. The Missouri Human Rights Act also provides robust protections for workers aged 40-70. These laws make it illegal for an employer to discriminate based on age in any aspect of employment.

Recognizing the Subtle and Overt Signs of Age Discrimination

Age bias is not always obvious. While some employers may make explicitly discriminatory comments, most age-related prejudice is subtle and requires a careful legal eye to prove. If you are experiencing any of the following, you should speak with an attorney:

Unfair Hiring Practices: Job advertisements that seek “recent graduates” or “digital natives,” or interview questions about your retirement plans can be red flags. Being told you are “overqualified” for a role you are perfect for, can be coded language for saying you are too old.
Passed Over for Promotions: Consistently seeing younger, less-qualified colleagues promoted over you, or being denied opportunities for advancement without a clear, performance-based reason.
Targeted Layoffs: Noticing that company-wide layoffs or “restructuring” disproportionately affect older employees. A sudden termination based on vague performance issues after years of positive reviews can also be a pretext for age discrimination.
Exclusion from Training: Being denied access to new training, technology workshops, or professional development opportunities that are offered to younger staff.
A Hostile Work Environment: Enduring persistent jokes, insults, or derogatory comments about your age from supervisors or coworkers that create an intimidating or offensive workplace.
Forced Retirement: Being pressured or forced to retire against your will. While voluntary early retirement packages can be legal, they must be handled properly and cannot be used to coerce older workers out.

How a Kansas City Age Discrimination Attorney Can Help

Navigating the complexities of an age discrimination claim requires deep legal knowledge and strategic skill. Proving that an employer’s actions were motivated by age bias, rather than a legitimate business reason, is the central challenge in these cases.

Our firm provides comprehensive legal support for clients in both Missouri and Kansas, leveraging our extensive experience to build the strongest possible case on your behalf. We will:

Provide a Confidential Case Evaluation: We offer a free initial case evaluation to listen to your story and analyze the details of your situation.
Handle All Legal Filings: We help navigate the strict deadlines and procedures for filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR).
Conduct a Thorough Investigation: We will gather crucial evidence, which may include performance reviews, hiring data, internal communications, and witness testimony, needed to expose discriminatory patterns.
Aggressively Negotiate on Your Behalf: We are skilled negotiators who will seek a fair settlement that compensates you for lost wages, benefits, emotional distress, and any other damages you are owed.
Provide Strong Trial Representation: While many cases are settled out of court, we are experienced trial lawyers who are always prepared to fight for your rights before a judge and jury.

You Have a Right to Be Judged on Your Merit, Not Your Age

Your experience is a valuable asset, and you should not be penalized for it. If you believe you have been discriminated against by your employer based on your age, you should discuss the specifics of your case with an attorney who is experienced in age discrimination in the state you were employed. Our attorneys have extensive experience representing individuals in Kansas and Missouri in age discrimination cases from filing an initial complaint all the way through to getting a verdict at trial.

To schedule a free case review to discuss your age discrimination case, contact us at (816) 533-4976 today.