The Supporting Older Workers Act of 2019 is a United States Senate bill that seeks to protect workers from age discrimination in hiring practices. This bill was proposed by Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Chuck Schumer of New York in May of 2019. The legislation has since been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of the Supporting Older Workers Act of 2019 is to combat discrimination against older workers by employers. This bill provides protection to workers aged 40 and up through updating current law. By increasing protection, older workers will be more likely to receive equal opportunities and pay in the workplace.
Current Law and Proposed Changes
Currently, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) prohibits discrimination based on age in terms of employment decisions. However, there are certain exceptions made for older workers that allow employers to pay a lower minimum wage for work done in certain capacities. This is called the “age-based minimum wage” loophole. For example, employers in retail and service jobs can pay workers aged 20 and under wages lower than the federal minimum wage.
The Supporting Older Workers Act of 2019 aims to close this “age-based minimum wage” loophole. Under this bill, employers are required to pay the federal minimum wages set forth by the Fair Labor Standards Act to any employee aged 40 and up. This will help to ensure that older workers receive the same protection from age discrimination that younger workers do.
Impact of the Bill
This bill will ensure that older workers receive the same protections from age discrimination as younger workers. It will also help to level the playing field between older and younger workers by eliminating loopholes that allow for discriminatory hiring practices. With this bill, older workers are more likely to be hired for positions and paid the same wages as younger workers regardless of their age.
Call to Action
The Supporting Older Workers Act of 2019 addresses an important issue of protecting older workers from age discrimination. It is important that everyone is aware of this bill, so please share this article on social media to make sure it gets the attention it deserves. #SupportOlderWorkers