Seniors Legal Rights

Human Rights

Age Discrimination

Age discrimination is against the law. The Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits employers from using age as a basis for firing you, discriminating against you, or refusing to hire you if you are over the age of 18. The Act also generally prohibits an employer from asking job applicants about their age or stating a preference with regard to age. Employers also may not interfere with your opportunity to acquire pension credits or benefits.

The Minnesota Human Rights Act also requires that all individuals over the age of 25 be given full access to educational institutions and the services that they provide. Educational institutions may keep a record of the age of an applicant for limited purposes, so long as they maintain the information separately from the application.

In addition to age discrimination, the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and sexual orientation with respect to employment, real property, public accommodations, public services, and education. It also prohibits discrimination with respect to employment, real property, public services, and education because a person is receiving public assistance. The Act prohibits marital status discrimination with respect to employment, real property, public accommodation, and education, and it prohibits discrimination based on familial status (for example, the condition of living with one or more minors) with respect to real property.

If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination, contact the Minnesota Department of Human Rights or a private attorney. If your claim is covered by the Human Rights Act, the department will help you file formal charges. Staff will then conduct an investigation. If the department finds that there is probable cause to believe that the Human Rights Act was violated, it will refer the case to the Attorney General’s Office. The Human Rights Act sets a one-year period in which a claim of discrimination must be brought. You may contact the Department of Human Rights at:

Minnesota Department of Human Rights
540 Fairview Avenue North, Suite 201
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 539-1100 or (800) 657-3704
www.mn.gov/mdhr