Age Discrimination in Employment Act
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employment discrimination against persons 40 years of age or older in the United States. The law also sets standards for pensions and benefits provided by employers and requires that information about the needs of older workers be provided to the general public.
The ADEA includes a broad ban against age discrimination and also specifically prohibits:
- Discrimination in hiring, promotions, wages, or firing/layoffs.
- Statements or specifications in job notices or advertisements of age preference and limitations.
- Denial of benefits to older employees. An employer may reduce benefits based on age only if the cost of providing the reduced benefits to older workers is the same as the cost of providing full benefits to younger workers.
- Since 1978 it has prohibited mandatory retirement in most sectors, with phased elimination of mandatory retirement for tenured workers, such as college professors, in 1993.
Mandatory retirement based on age is permitted for only one reason:
- Executives over age 65 in high policy-making positions who are entitled to a pension over a minimum yearly amount.
Source: Wikipedia.org: Age Discrimination in Employment Act 
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See also: Anti-discrimination law; Discrimination; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Equal opportunity; Protected Class