Flaming Fifties and Beyond: An International Comparison of Age Discrimination Laws and how the United States Could Improve the Laws for Elderly Women

In an attempt to mitigate against age discrimination in employment, the United States of America implemented the “Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA)”. Nonetheless, the efficacy of the ADEA has been reduced due to allowed exceptions which disproportionately impact women ie: bona fide occupational requirements. The author of this paper suggests that, by comparing the ADEA to Germany's Hartz IV Reform, changes must be made to US employment discrimination laws so that women of all backgrounds, race and cultures are protected over the age of 55 equally. These changes, it is argued, may include such things as an amendment to federal laws to increase employer penalties for age based discrimination and the creation of laws that will allow for easier access to employer records.