Hurd Fights for Workforce Protection for Seniors

Yesterday I continued my fervent support for our nation’s seniors by helping pass out of the House the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (H.R. 1230). I was an original cosponsor of this bipartisan bill, which strengthens age-based discrimination protections for employees over the age of 55 to ensure fair treatment in the workplace.

Older workers are valuable assets to their employers as well as our workforce and our economy. However, more than 6 in 10 have experienced age discrimination on the job, with over half forced out of a job before they plan to retire and 90 percent unable to match their prior earnings. This bipartisan bill restores workplace fairness and makes sure workers are judged by their talents, not their age. Its passage is welcome news not only for our parents and grandparents, but also for future generations of seniors.

"AARP applauds Representative Hurd for his work to pass bipartisan legislation to help fight age discrimination in the workplace,” said Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President Government Affairs, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). “Older workers are a valuable asset to their employers and the economy, yet more than 6 in 10 report seeing or experiencing age discrimination on the job. We thank Rep. Hurd for cosponsoring and helping to pass this common-sense, bipartisan bill."

Several stakeholders and organizations have voiced support of this bill including AARP, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, National Council on Aging and the National Employment Law Project.