The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination against persons 40 years of age or older. The ADEA is located in the United States Code, beginning at 29 U.S.C. §621.
In Massachusetts, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is a federal law that protects employees and job applicants who are 40 years of age or older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. The ADEA applies to employers with 20 or more employees, including state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor organizations. Additionally, Massachusetts state law, under the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act (M.G.L. c. 151B), also prohibits age discrimination and covers employers with 6 or more employees, offering broader protection than the federal statute. This means that in Massachusetts, employees are safeguarded against age discrimination by both federal and state laws, with the state law providing protection in some cases where the federal law might not apply.