People Today Will Live Up To 150 Years Old: How Will This Change Affect Age Discrimination?

Siegfried Hekimi, a professor of biology at McGill University, has argued that it’s inevitable that some people alive today will live into their 150s. This increase in life expectancy will likely change how we view age discrimination. According to modern records, Jeanne Calment is the oldest person who ever lived, having died in 1997 at the age of 122. Hekimi and other scientists agree that advancements over the past century, such as hygiene, vaccinations, food safety, and nutrition, explain the increase in life expectancy. The oldest among us today have not fully benefited from these advancements throughout their entire lives. Scientists argue that younger people who grew up in a world with these innovations can expect to see massive increases in life expectancy.

Current Age Discrimination Laws

Age discrimination is currently on the rise as baby boomers reach retirement age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids age discrimination in the workplace against employees who are age 40 or older. The law forbids discrimination in any area of employment, including but not limited to, hiring, firing, pay, promotions, layoff, and training. The law also prohibits harassment on the basis of age in the workplace. Harassment must be so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile workplace or results in an adverse employment action, such as a termination on the basis of age. If you have suffered from age discrimination in the workplace, you should seek the help of an experienced employment attorney.

How The Law Might Change As Life Expectancy Increases

If people start living to be 150 years old, then 40 years old might start to seem too young for age discrimination. Federal law only outlaws discrimination on the basis of old age, not young age. So, we can expect the age requirement for discrimination to increase as life expectancy goes up. Additionally, we will also likely see the retirement age increase. Currently, the retirement age to receive full Social Security benefits is either 66 or 67, depending on the year you were born. If life expectancy increases to 150, then we can expect that people would keep working well into their 70s and 80s. A final change we may see as life expectancy increases is more frequent second, third, and fourth careers. Over the course of a person’s lifetime, technology advances and some careers become obsolete. With people staying in the workforce longer, it may become common for older people to switch careers in order to adapt to such technological changes.

Seek Legal Assistance

If you have experienced age discrimination in the workplace, seek legal assistance today. The Working Solutions Law Firm, located in New York City, can assist you. Contact us today at (646) 430-7930 to schedule a free case evaluation and receive experienced legal counsel. You don’t pay unless we win.