Legal focus.

The article focuses on age discrimination in employment practices, particularly in the context of libraries. It highlights the increasing employment of workers aged 65 and older and emphasizes the importance of adhering to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) when evaluating employees and applicants. The ADEA prohibits discrimination against individuals over 40, while the PHRA applies to employers with as few as four employees. The article advises libraries to base hiring practices on skills rather than age, utilize scoring tables for applicant evaluation, and document all employment-related decisions to mitigate potential discrimination claims. Additionally, it underscores the need for careful handling of retirement discussions to avoid any implications of age-based pressure. [Extracted from the article]