Age discrimination cases are on the rise. That is because, in part, Americans are aging better and staying healthier longer than ever before. Second, we are becoming a more youth-oriented society and people in general and employers in the workplace want to match their staff to that trend. But age discrimination is against the law. The Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) made it illegal to discriminate against anyone over 40 in hiring, firing, promotion, pensions, benefits, and more. And while the ADEA applies only to companies with 20 or more employees, there are many state laws that are even more stringent. Once an age discrimination case is opened, the first step is to attempt mediation. Statistics show that over 80% of all age discrimination cases are solved this way. The rest are referred to an attorney for civil action. Some of the solutions are reinstatement, back pay, promotion, or damages, which can reach thousands of dollars in cases of willfulness on the part of the employer.