Looking for your next job? Know your rights

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Older Coloradans seeking employment or maintaining their current jobs have new rights in state law after the passage and adoption of the Job Application Fairness Act.

The law, instituted in 2024, stops employers (with few exceptions) from asking applicants about their age, date of birth, and details about their education that would reveal their age on initial applications.

“Older Americans bring a wealth of experience and meaning to the workplace,” State Director Sara Schueneman said. “And yet, an unbelievable amount of people faces age discrimination.”

An AARP study found that approximately 60 percent of workers 50-plus have experienced age discrimination in the workplace.

“With workers 65-plus being the fastest growing segment of the workforce, more must be done to end age discrimination,” Schueneman said.

If you feel that you are discriminated against at work or during an application process, you can file an official complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division.

The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies has a comprehensive page detailing the complaint process online.

DORA advises individuals with a disability or disabilities who require accommodations to access the Division’s services to please call (303) 894-2997 (local), (800) 262-4845 (voice), 711 TTD - Relay, Hotline Español: (720) 432-4294, or send an email to DORA_CCRDIntake@state.co.us, to request reasonable accommodations.

For additional tools and resources, including a job board, visit aarp.org/work/age-discrimination.