The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 protects workers who are age 40 and older from workplace discrimination.The ADEA is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of age for employees and job candidates over the age of 40 years old. An employee must be at least 40 years of age under federal and Pennsylvania law to be protected. For age discrimination claims, an employee only has to wait 60 days from the time that the Charge has been filed to file a lawsuit in federal court. If age played a role in the employer's decision about whom to lay off, the termination of these employees may be discriminatory. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects employees who are 40 years of age or older from discrimination because of their age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) covers employees 40 years old and over. Discrimination In The Hiring Process. Your first step towards employment is often filling out an application or having an interview with a potential employer.