Age Discrimination One Team. One Goal.

Age Discrimination Attorney in Pasadena

Proven Employment Law Representation for Workers 40 & Older

If you’ve been pushed out, passed over, or treated unfairly at work because of your age, the law may provide protections. California provides some of the strongest age discrimination protections in the country, and Law Offices of Paul P. Cheng & Associates has the employment law background to help you pursue those protections. We represent workers in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles County who face age-based mistreatment at every stage of employment.

Founded in 2006, our firm has successfully handled over 1,000 cases. We offer a free initial consultation, and our 24/7 Chinese Hotline means Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking workers can reach us whenever they need to. Age discrimination is often disguised as a performance issue, a restructuring decision, or a “cultural fit” concern. Recognizing it for what it is takes legal experience.

If you believe your employer has discriminated against you because of your age, call our Pasadena office today at (888) 356-4937. A free consultation costs you nothing and can help clarify your options.

Why Pasadena Workers Choose Law Offices of Paul P. Cheng & Associates

Paul P. Cheng, recognized in Super Lawyers Rising Stars, leads our employment law practice. That recognition reflects a standard of legal acumen our clients see directly in how their cases are handled. We don’t apply a template to age discrimination claims because no two situations are alike. We build a strategy around your specific facts, your workplace, and the conduct you experienced.

Our attorneys are sought after by other law firms nationwide for their legal insights, which means the knowledge we bring to your case is the same knowledge other legal professionals look to for guidance. We’re also available around the clock, including through our Chinese Hotline, so access to counsel isn’t limited to standard business hours.

Federal & California Protections Against Age Discrimination

Two laws protect Pasadena workers from age discrimination. The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), enacted in 1967, covers workers 40 and older at employers with 20 or more employees. It prohibits discrimination in hiring, firing, pay, promotions, job assignments, training, and other employment terms.

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) goes further. FEHA covers employers with five or more employees, which means workers at smaller Pasadena workplaces have state-law recourse even when the ADEA doesn’t apply. FEHA also doesn’t cap compensatory or punitive damages the way federal law does, which can make state claims more favorable for California employees. Both laws apply at every stage of employment, from the hiring process through termination.

Age Discrimination Claims We Handle

We represent employees who have experienced a range of age-based mistreatment in the workplace. Our representation covers:

Wrongful termination based on age, including layoffs that disproportionately affect workers 40 and older
Demotion and denial of promotion in favor of younger, less qualified employees
Unequal pay or reduced benefits tied to age rather than performance
Exclusion from training or development programs on the assumption an older worker is near retirement
Age-based harassment and hostile work environment claims
Retaliation for reporting age discrimination, filing a complaint, or participating in an investigation
Forced early retirement or pressure to accept a separation package

Age discrimination claims often intersect with wrongful termination when an employer uses business necessity or performance as a pretext for removing an older worker. We understand how these claims interact and build cases that account for the full picture.

How We Approach Your Case

We start with a thorough review of what happened and what evidence exists. From there, we build a legal strategy tailored to your specific facts, not a standard playbook. Throughout the process, we maintain open communication so you understand what’s happening and why each step matters.

Our firm represents corporations, business owners, and individuals. That experience across multiple sides of employment matters informs how we anticipate employer defenses and position your claim based on what the facts support.

Talk to an Age Discrimination Attorney in Pasadena

You don’t have to figure out on your own whether what happened qualifies as age discrimination. Law Offices of Paul P. Cheng & Associates offers a free initial consultation so you can get a clear picture of your options without any commitment. Our 24/7 Chinese Hotline is available for Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking clients who need to reach us outside standard hours.

Call Law Offices of Paul P. Cheng & Associates at (888) 356-4937 or use our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. We serve workers throughout Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles County area.

Recognizing Age Discrimination at Work

Age discrimination isn’t always obvious. Employers rarely cite age as a reason for a decision. Knowing what to look for is the first step toward understanding whether you may have a claim.

Common forms include:

Termination or layoff targeting older workers, including reductions in force where workers 40 and older bear a disproportionate share of the cuts
Being passed over for promotion in favor of a younger, less qualified employee
Exclusion from training, mentorship, or professional development based on the assumption that an older worker won’t be around long enough to benefit
Unequal pay or reduced benefits based on age rather than performance or tenure
Job postings or hiring practices that signal a preference for younger applicants through language like “digital natives” or a “young culture”
Derogatory age-related comments, jokes, or a hostile work environment built around remarks about an employee’s age
Manufactured performance documentation or unjust disciplinary action used to justify a later termination
Pressure to accept early retirement or a separation package

Proving an Age Discrimination Claim in California

To establish a prima facie case of age discrimination, a worker generally must demonstrate four things: they are 40 or older; their job performance was satisfactory; an adverse employment action was taken against them; and a substantially younger employee was treated more favorably. The comparison employee doesn’t have to be under 40.

Once that threshold is met, the burden shifts to the employer to articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the action. The employee then has the opportunity to show that the stated reason is a pretext and that age was an actual motivating factor.

Evidence that can support a claim includes:

Written or verbal comments about age from supervisors or decision-makers
A documented pattern of older workers being passed over or terminated
Comparative treatment of similarly situated younger employees
Inconsistencies between the employer’s stated justification and how they handled comparable situations
Internal communications, personnel files, and workforce data showing age distribution before and after an adverse action

Age-based harassment claims follow a different legal path. Under California law, the individual harasser may be named as a defendant, not just the employer.

Filing Deadlines & the Administrative Process

Before filing a lawsuit, a claimant must exhaust administrative remedies by filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing) or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Deadlines That Apply to Your Claim

The deadlines are strict. In California, a CRD complaint must be filed within three years of the discriminatory act. An EEOC complaint must be filed within 300 days. California has a worksharing agreement between the two agencies, so filing with one typically cross-files with the other, and a claimant generally doesn’t need to file separately with both.

What Happens After the Agency Process

After the agency process concludes, the claimant receives a right-to-sue letter, which is required before a civil lawsuit can be filed in court. Employment discrimination cases in the Pasadena area proceed through Los Angeles Superior Court or federal district court, depending on which laws the claim is filed under. Missing a filing deadline can bar a claim entirely, which is why consulting an attorney well before that deadline matters.

Retaliation & Related Claims

Both the ADEA and FEHA prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who report age discrimination, file a complaint, or participate in a discrimination investigation or lawsuit. Retaliation can take many forms: demotion, schedule changes, increased scrutiny, exclusion from meetings, or termination following a complaint.

A retaliation claim and an age discrimination claim can be filed together, and when the timeline shows an adverse action closely following a protected complaint, the two claims can support each other. Age discrimination also frequently surfaces alongside wrongful termination, where an employer terminates an older worker and cites performance or business necessity as justification. Older workers who experience age-related harassment may also have a separate hostile work environment claim in addition to a workplace discrimination claim.

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I would HIGHLY recommend Paul P. Cheng and his Law firm the Cheng Law Group. My wife and I were being sued by a former employee of ours so we took to Yelp, and after reading the many amazing reviews of his law firm we decided to give him a call for a free consultation. Soon thereafter, we were sitting in Mr. Cheng's conference room with an amazing view by the way discussing our entire case. Mr. Cheng was kind, courteous, professional and very knowledgeable about employment law. I was actually surprised about how much time he took with us going over the detailed information we brought, explaining every single option we had with our case. At the end of our consultation and without asking us to retain his firm, he offered to write a complimentary letter to the opposing law firm saying that we denied all of their claims and that any further communication could be directed to his law firm; now what other lawyer would ever offer to do this? After doing so we never heard from that former employee or her law firm again and I'm sure the reason is because they knew with their baseless claims there was nothing they can do against a real lawyer like Mr. Cheng. So if you are looking for a lawyer with actual integrity and concern for the well fair of others I would certainly recommend giving Mr. Cheng a call, you won't regret it.

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I would first like to say that Paul Cheng is an amazing person. Not only is he very intelligent, but he is also compassionate about the work he does. That being said, he went out of his way to help my mom with her case. He respected her and always made himself available to answer any of her questions. Our family is very grateful to Paul and we highly recommend his law office.

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I hired Paul last year on matter with my company. I had talked with 3 other lawyers and decided to go with Paul. The thing i like most about him is he's a straight forward no nonsense type guy. He tells it like it is and seems more interested in doing his job, more so than how much money he is going to make off of you. I definitely recommend him to anyone who needs a lawyer.

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