A healthcare provider with several clinics across Florida agreed to conciliate an age discrimination charge filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced on December 15, 2025.
During the EEOC’s investigation, the agency found reasonable cause to believe the provider violated federal law by terminating an employee on the basis of age in July 2023. The alleged conduct violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which prohibits employment discrimination against individuals age 40 and older.
Following the EEOC’s cause determination, the parties successfully engaged in the agency’s pre-litigation conciliation process. As part of the resolution, the provider agreed to pay the employee $64,000 in damages, representing full back pay and liquidated damages. The provider also agreed to implement annual age-discrimination training for employees, human resources personnel, and management; revise its employment policies to explicitly prohibit age discrimination and include examples of prohibited conduct; and report any future age-discrimination complaints to the EEOC for a period of five years.
“Age discrimination continues to be a persistent problem in the workplace,” said Evangeline Hawthorne, district director for the EEOC’s Miami District. “Employees aged 40 and older come with significant expertise and are an essential part of the workforce.”
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Age discrimination involves treating an applicant or employee less favorably because of age. The ADEA prohibits employment discrimination against individuals who are 40 years of age or older. The law applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, termination, compensation, job assignments, promotions, training, and other terms and conditions of employment. Age-based harassment is also prohibited when it becomes severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment or results in an adverse employment action. Federal equal employment opportunity laws further prohibit retaliation against individuals who raise concerns or participate in investigations related to discrimination.
Discussion Points
- Review employment policies and procedures to ensure they clearly prohibit age discrimination and retaliation and outline effective reporting and investigation processes. Organizations may benefit from periodic policy reviews conducted with the assistance of a compliance or regulatory consultant to help identify gaps and ensure alignment with current legal standards.
- Train all staff on what constitutes age discrimination, how to recognize prohibited conduct, and the importance of promptly reporting concerns. Med-Net Academy offers the course Age Discrimination, which reviews a case study involving violations of both Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the ADEA. The course outlines the consequences of noncompliance and provides best practices for preventing and addressing age discrimination in the workplace.
- Conduct periodic audits to evaluate whether policies are being followed in practice and whether employees feel comfortable reporting concerns. This may include anonymous staff surveys, targeted reviews of employment actions, or focused compliance assessments. Engaging an external reviewer to perform these evaluations can help organizations identify risks early, assess workplace culture, and implement corrective actions before issues escalate.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, Inc. for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*