Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA)

Colette Thayer, AARP Research

Published May 01, 2012

/ Updated June 19, 2012

To determine public views on older workers, age discrimination, and the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), AARP commissioned GS Strategy Group to conduct a national survey of older voters as well as statewide surveys of older voters in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Tennessee.

Key findings from this survey show:

Over one-third of older voters report that they or someone they know has experienced age discrimination in the workplace.
Roughly eight in ten older voters say it is important for Congress to take action and restore workplace protections against age discrimination (81%).
Across party and ideological lines, older voters support the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) (78%).
Older voters want their Member of Congress to support POWADA (77%).

The survey was conducted via telephone by GS Strategy Group from May 14 through May 20, 2012 with a random sample of registered voters age 50 and over, stratified by geography to be proportional to Census 2010 data.

For more information, contact Colette Thayer at (202) 434-6294.

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Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) Public Opinion Report

DETAILED FINDINGS