What is the purpose of the ADEA?

What is the purpose of the ADEA?

• A. To promote the employment of older persons and to prohibit arbitrary age discrimination in employment
• B. To require retirement at 65
• C. To regulate minimum wage for teenagers
• D. To ban all hiring of older workers

Answer: (A)

The ADEA protects older workers from age-based treatment and aims to keep them in the workforce by ensuring employment decisions aren’t made solely because of age. It covers hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, job assignments, and other terms and conditions of employment for individuals 40 and older, enforcing that decisions be based on ability and fit rather than age. This is why the best answer describes promoting employment of older persons and prohibiting arbitrary age discrimination. The other options aren’t correct because the ADEA does not mandate retirement at 65, does not set minimum wages for teenagers (that’s the Fair Labor Standards Act), and it does not ban hiring of older workers—it prohibits discrimination, not hiring entirely.

The ADEA protects older workers from age-based treatment and aims to keep them in the workforce by ensuring employment decisions aren’t made solely because of age. It covers hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, job assignments, and other terms and conditions of employment for individuals 40 and older, enforcing that decisions be based on ability and fit rather than age. This is why the best answer describes promoting employment of older persons and prohibiting arbitrary age discrimination. The other options aren’t correct because the ADEA does not mandate retirement at 65, does not set minimum wages for teenagers (that’s the Fair Labor Standards Act), and it does not ban hiring of older workers—it prohibits discrimination, not hiring entirely.