Information

[Jenn Kellams]

 Ok, back to the original question and your "what's the difference?" - A big one, at least where age is concerned.  Discrimination in hiring is based on things that supposedly have no affect on one's job performance (like race, gender, or religion).  So that would be the issue if someone said that Obama or Palin wouldn't do their job well because he's black or she's female.  However, the President of the United States needs to be around and in good health for at least the next 4 1/2 years, and obviously someone who is 72 statistically has less chance of doing that than a younger man.  I personally don't think it's enough chance to discount him, but I understand that some could see it as a factor. 

Employment discrimination refers to discriminatory employment practices such as bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, and compensation, and various types of harassment.  Laws prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, or age. There is also a growing body of law preventing or occasionally justifying employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Some jurisdictions within countries implement their own non-discrimination laws.

[AnnOminous]

 Employement discrimination for age only applies for ages 40 to 65.

Once you have reached 65, they can discriminate against you.  Any layoffs the first to go are the ones 65 and over that haven't retired yet (unless they are the fat cat CEOs).