Today's society is a world where younger means faster, smarter, more efficient, more productive, and less liability to a company. Modern society has used age discrimination towards older Americans in order to justify the sociological and economic needs of society as a whole. Although this practice is most commonly seen in white-collar professions, it is not limited to just the corporate world in and of itself. More Americans are living longer and healthier lives, and many are working longer or going back to work after retirement. A study conducted by the AARP found that eight in ten baby boomers are planning to work during their "retirement years", and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 1998 and 2008 the percentage of workers age 45 and older will increase by about 7 percent, adding nearly 17 million workers to this age group. Furthermore, workers age 55 to 64 are projected to increase by 10 million during this time. Combined with a slowing economy and dwindling pensions, workforce changes such as these could give rise to increasing incidents of age discrimination in employment.
             Age discrimination can be masked in many different ways and there are numerous reasons for practicing any type of discrimination. A major part of any discrimination, or segregation, of an individual is to define specifically what "age discrimination" really means in legal terms. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) specifically prohibits: statements or specifications in job notices or advertisements of age preference and limitations. An age limit may only be specified in the rare circumstance where age has been proven to be a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ); discrimination on the basis of age by apprenticeship programs, including joint labor-management apprenticeship programs; and denial of benefits to older employees. An employer may reduce benefits based on age only if the cost of provid...