Age Discrimination Attorney in Oklahoma City

Representing Oklahoma City Employees & Job Applicants in Age Discrimination Claims

Age-based workplace discrimination is more common than many employees realize, and it takes many forms: a termination framed as a “cost-cutting measure,” a promotion that goes to someone with less experience, or a layoff that removes older workers in disproportionate numbers. Our employment attorneys at Mazaheri Law Firm represent job applicants and employees in Oklahoma City who have faced this kind of treatment, including wrongful termination motivated by age.

Since 2009, we’ve taken a client-focused approach to every matter we handle. Our multiethnic, bilingual team brings diverse perspectives to employment law representation, and we treat every client as a unique individual with a specific set of facts and goals.

If you believe your employer has discriminated against you because of your age, contact our Oklahoma City office by phone at (405) 645-6022 or through our contact form to discuss your situation.

What the Law Protects Against

Two statutes govern age discrimination claims in Oklahoma. The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which applies to employers with 20 or more employees, prohibits discrimination against workers who are 40 or older in any aspect of employment: hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, and benefits. The Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act extends those same protections to workers at employers with as few as one employee, meaning Oklahoma workers have broader coverage than federal law alone provides.

One detail worth knowing: the ADEA protects older workers from bias, not younger ones. If an employer favors a 55-year-old over a 42-year-old, that doesn’t create a claim under the ADEA even though both workers are over 40. The law runs in one direction.

Age discrimination doesn’t always involve an outright termination. A workplace policy that applies to everyone can still violate the law if it disproportionately harms workers 40 and older and isn’t justified by a reasonable factor unrelated to age. This is called disparate impact, as distinct from disparate treatment, which involves an employer treating an older worker less favorably on purpose. Age-based harassment is also unlawful when comments or conduct are frequent or severe enough to create a hostile work environment or lead to an adverse employment decision.

Filing Deadlines & the ADEA’s Distinct Right-to-Sue Rule

Before filing a lawsuit, most employees must first file an administrative charge. With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the deadline is generally 300 days from the discriminatory act. With Oklahoma’s Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights Enforcement, the deadline is 180 days from the last alleged act. These timelines are strict, and waiting too long can bar a claim entirely.

ADEA claims carry one important procedural difference: you don’t need to wait for a right-to-sue letter before going to court. Under the ADEA, you may file a federal lawsuit 60 days after submitting your EEOC charge, regardless of whether the agency has completed its investigation. For most other discrimination claims, you must wait for the EEOC to issue a Notice of Right to Sue and then file within 90 days of receiving it. If you file charges with both the EEOC and the Oklahoma Civil Rights Enforcement office, confirm directly with each agency whether your charge is being cross-filed rather than assuming it happens automatically.

Katherine Mazaheri-Franze: Employment Litigation & Agency Proceedings

Katherine Mazaheri-Franze, founder and managing attorney of Mazaheri Law Firm, is a trial lawyer who represents plaintiff employees in employment law matters. She litigates age discrimination cases in both state and federal courts and appears before the EEOC, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, and the Oklahoma Civil Rights Enforcement Division of the Attorney General’s Office. That combination of courtroom and administrative-agency experience matters for age discrimination claims, where the process often begins at the agency level and may proceed to federal court.

Our firm’s core values of integrity, compassion, and honesty shape how we work with clients. We forge genuine personal connections, offer creative solutions, and provide calm guidance during what is often a stressful time. As an age discrimination lawyer serving Oklahoma City, Katherine approaches each case with a clear understanding of what’s at stake for the individual worker.

Discuss Your Age Discrimination Claim with Our Oklahoma City Team

Deadlines in discrimination cases begin running quickly. If you believe age played a role in a termination, layoff, demotion, or hiring decision, speaking with an attorney sooner can give you more options.

Call our Oklahoma City office at (405) 645-6022 or reach us through our contact form to talk through what happened and learn what steps may be available to you.