Federal law already prohibits employers from discriminating against workers over 40 based on their age — but there's a gap in the law when it comes to job applicants. Courts have been split on whether the Age Discrimination in Employment Act fully protects people who haven't been hired yet. This bill would close that gap by explicitly adding "applicants for employment" to the law's protections against being limited, segregated, or classified by age. It also directs the EEOC to study age discrimination claims from job applicants filed since 2015.
Congressional Summary
Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2025 or the POJA Act of 2025This bill prohibits employers from limiting, segregating, or classifying job applicants based on an applicant's age. It also requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to study and report on claims received from job applicants involving age discrimination.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-09-19
- Date Added
- 2026-04-09