LBJ Signs Age Discrimination Act
President Lyndon Johnson signed the Age Discrimination in Employment Act on this day.
LBJ was very concerned about the status of older Americans.. He strongly supported the creation of Medicare, for example. The new law applied to people over the age of 40.
The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 was one of many pieces of President Johnson’s Great Society legislation, including the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the 1965 Immigration Reform Law.
The law: “(b) It is therefore the purpose of this chapter to promote employment of older persons based on their ability rather than age; to prohibit arbitrary age discrimination in employment; to help employers and workers find ways of meeting problems arising from the impact of age on employment.”
LBJ: “The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 gives the vital part of our labor force between 40 and 65 a better chance to go on working productively and gainfully. The country will gain as well from making better use of their skills and experience. . . . This is humane and practical legislation. The Congress acted wisely in passing it and I am proud to sign it.”
Read LBJ’s full statement on signing the bill: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=28614