New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and a bipartisan group of Washington officials announced the introduction of the Protecting Older Americans Act Wednesday.
The legislation would invalidate forced arbitration clauses preventing age discrimination victims from seeking justice and public accountability. Forced arbitration occurs when a company requires an employee to submit any potential dispute to binding arbitration as a condition of employment. As a result, employees waive their right to sue in court.
The vast majority of older workers have reported witnessing age discrimination. According to a 2020 AARP survey, about 78% of older workers have either seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, the highest level since AARP tracked the statistic starting in 2003.
