Which federal law is designed to protect individuals aged 40 and over from discrimination?

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is the federal law specifically designed to protect individuals who are aged 40 and over from employment discrimination based on their age. This legislation makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against older employees or applicants in various aspects of employment, including hiring, promotions, layoffs, and benefits. The ADEA aims to ensure that individuals in this age group receive fair treatment and are not unfairly disadvantaged due to their age, thereby promoting an age-diverse workforce and helping to combat stereotypes about older workers.

The other options, while related to employment and anti-discrimination, serve different purposes. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with the right to take unpaid leave for family and medical reasons, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the agency that enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. However, none of these laws specifically targets age discrimination in the same way that the ADEA does.