Patricia G. Barnes, J.D. is a nationally-recognized expert on employment discrimination and workplace abuse.  She has been quoted in articles appearing in The New York Times, Bloomberg Labor Report, VOX, CNBC News, AARP, Businessweek, Fast Company, VOX, Bustle, Society for Human Resource Management, etc. She is a licensed attorney, former judge, author, consultant to workers and employers. For speaking engagements, interviews, trainings or consultation, contact Ms. Barnes at barnespatg at gmail.com or (775) 546 0898.

 AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT

 Her most recent book is OVERCOMING AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR WORKERS, ADVOCATES & EMPLOYERS.  This book is an essential resource for employers seeking avoid costly litigation and needless risk, as well as to retain high-quality workers in an increasingly competitive environment. Older workers will learn to recognize, confront and overcome age discrimination in employment.  

The book follows Ms. Barnes’ groundbreaking  book, BETRAYED: THE LEGALIZATION OF AGE DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE, which was called a “must read for everyone over 40” by David Godfrey, the senior attorney of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging.

Ms. Barnes argues the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) was weak to begin with and has been eviscerated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Older workers literally are second class citizens under U.S. law, with far less protection than individuals who are subject to discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin.  Almost 50 years after the ADEA’s passage, age discrimination remains epidemic in the United States, hidden behind terms such as “long-term unemployment” and “early retirement.” And the problem has trickled down to  ever younger workers. Even workers in their 30s experience age discrimination in some industries, such as the high tech industry in Silicon Valley.

Age discrimination is problematic for younger workers but it can be a devastating life-altering catastrophe for older workers. They often are plunged into long-term unemployment, forced to take poorly-paid part-time or temp work, and then forced into early retirement, which results in poverty or near poverty for the rest of their lives.

The ADEA  was based upon the false premise that age discrimination is different and more acceptable than other types of illegal discrimination. This is incorrect. All discrimination stems from false stereotypes, fear and animus directed toward a discrete group. Yet, age discrimination remains the one form of discrimination that is widely tolerated in American society.  Ms. Barnes urges repeal of the ADEA and advocates making age a protected class under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion and national origin. At least workers then would have equal rights.

WORKPLACE BULLYING AND ABUSE

Ms. Barnes is the author of the best-selling legal guide to the problem of workplace bullying and abuse in the United States  SURVIVING BULLIES, QUEEN BEES & PSYCHOPATHS IN THE WORKPLACE. Workplace bullying costs employers billions each year in higher health care costs, absenteeism and needless turnover. It poisons morale company-wide and is at the core of many race and gender discrimination complaints. This book helps employers understand, address and prevent workplace bullying and abuse. Workers will learn to recognize the problem and take constructive action to save their jobs and avoid potentially serious damage to their mental and physical health. The book has garnered numerous five-star reviews from prominent workplace bullying experts on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Ms. Barnes is a co-founder of the National Workplace Bullying Coalition.

COPING IN A DIFFICULT WORKPLACE

Ms. Barnes’ book  TRANSCEND YOUR BOSS: ZEN AND THE DIFFICULT WORKPLACE , provides targets of employment discrimination, bullying and abuse with a time tested path to survive in a hostile workplace environment, at least long enough to effectively address the problem.

Overwhelming research shows that severe stress at work causes mental and physical harm and the longer it continues, the worse the harm. Many victims of workplace abuse and discrimination suffer post-traumatic stress for years afterwards. Zen theory and meditation offer workers relief from debilitating stress, as well as greater clarity and focus. It helps them refrain from hitting the send button on an incendiary email that can be used against them by a bullying supervisor. Workers gain time and perspective to address the problem of workplace bullying in a positive and appropriate manner.

*This was the FIRST book advocating the use of meditation in the workplace.  (Don’t be fooled by imitators!)

EMPLOYMENT LAW BLOGS

Ms. Barnes is the editor of two employment law blogs: WHEN THE ABUSER GOES TO WORK at www.AbuserGoestoWork.com and AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT at AgeDiscriminationinEmployment.com.

 When the Abuser Goes to Work offers extensive resources to workers and  employers on the topics of  discrimination, bullying and abuse. This blog is syndicated by Newstex,  which provides news and commentary  from the “world’s best authoritative sources.”    Age Discrimination in Employment deals specifically with age discrimination and the systemic inequality of older workers under U.S. law.

SELECTED ARTICLES, ETC.

• Quoted by BloombergQuint, Why Middle-Aged Accountants are Suing PwC Over Campus Recruiting, by Robert Burnson (March 16, 2018).
• Quoted by Society for Human Resource Management, Viewpoint: How to Steer Clear of Ageism in the Workplace, by Kathy Gurchiek, 3/05/2018.
• Quoted by OZY.com, Are Hashtags Changing Perspectives on Workplace Harassment?, by Olivia Miltner, 1/22/18.
• Quoted by USA Today,Are you a good person? Morality experts say this is how to find out, by Alia E. Dastagir (12/26/2017).
• Quoted by AARP, Age Discrimination Law Turns 50, by Kenneth Terrell, 12/14/2017.
• Quoted by The Columbus Dispatch, Magistrate Allows Ohio State Age Discrimination Lawsuit to Move Forward,  by Earl Rinehart, 12/10/2017.
• Quoted by Bloomberg Law Daily Labor Report, Older Workers Need Reassurance Against Age Bias, by Martin Berman-Gorvine, 6/14/17.  (Behind a pay wall).
•  Quoted by CNBC.com, Fighting to stay competitive, more men turn to Botox, by Bob Sullivan, 5/22/17.
• Quoted by  Society for Human Resource Management, Could College Recruitment Programs Be Considered Unlawful? by Roy Mauer. 5/11/17.
• Quoted b y Bustle: 11 Steps to take if You are Being Sexually Harassed at Work, by Elizabeth Strassner, 4/20/2017;  Also,  Why Women Hesitate to Report Men Like Bill O’Reilly, by Elizabeth Strassner. 4/20/2017.
• Guest, 680 CJOB Radio Winnipeg, a Canadian news/talk radio station that broadcasts throughout the province, into Saskatchewan and south into the Dakotas and Minnesota. Topic: Bill O’Reilly and sexual harassment. 4/19/17.
• Quoted by USA Today, In the era of Bill O’Reilly, Have we grown indifferent to sexual harassment? by Alia E. Dastagir. 4/7/17.
• Quoted by Society for Human Resource Management,  Job Sites Respond to Age Discrimination Claims, by Roy Maurer. 4/20/17.
• Quoted by Bloomberg Daily Labor Report, R.J. Reynolds Applicant Seeks Justices’ Review of Age Bias Claims, by Patrick Dorrian, 3/6/2017.
• Quoted by Bloomberg Daily Labor Report & Bloomberg Law, Talkin/ ‘Bout All Generations: Workplace Age Diversity Lacking, by Patrick Dorrian, (11/28/2016).
• Quoted by VOX, Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson’s Sex harassment claims could oust Roger Ailes from Fox News, by Emily Crockett, 7/19/16.  Also quoted by VOX in Why one harassment allegation against powerful men like Roger Ailes often leads to many more, by Emily Crockett, (7/8/16).
• Quoted by NBCnews.com, “For Older Workers, Getting a New Job can be a Gamble,” by Bob Sullivan (July 10, 2016).
• Quoted by Fast Company.com, Five Common Workplace Bullies (And How to Deal with Them) (5/16/16).
• Quoted by New York Times, Trying to Make a Case for Age Discrimination, by Elizabeth Olson  (March 18, 2016).
• Cited in Managing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion: A Psychological Perspective by Rosemary Hays-Thomas (2016).
• Author, Age Discrimination and Elder Poverty, ChangingAging with Dr. Bill Thomas (April 30, 2015).
• Author, An Epidemic of Age Discrimination, Aging Today, American Society on Aging (1/21/15).
• Author, Prescription for an Impoverished Retirement, International Federation on Aging ( 11/6/14).
• Author, “Second Class Citizenship for Older Workers,” Today’s Workplace (10/22/14).
• Quoted by Fast Company, Why Sexual Harassment Is Still An Issue And Why So Many Get Away With It,  by Gwen Morgan  (6/25/14).
• I am honored that Dr. Alan A. Cavaiolo, c0-author of Toxic Coworkers (2000), recommended my book, Surviving Bullies, Queen Bees & Psychopaths in the Workplace, in his article,  Welcome to the 18th Century, which appeared on Psychology Today’s web page (May 2014).
• Co-founder, National Workplace Bullying Coalition (2014) and moderator at the Coalition’s first conference at Rutger’s University, New Jersey.
• Author, Workplace Bullying: When the Abuser Goes to Work, Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly,  edited by Mo Therese Hannah, Ph.D.  (Vol. 6 #2,Fall 2013).
• Quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek, Field Guide to Office Bullies (11/21/12).
• Contributor,  Back Off! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying @ Work, an excellent book by co-authors Catherine Mattice and E.G. Sebastian (7/2012).
• Author, Workplace Bullying: When the Abuser Goes to Work, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORT, a leading national resource for scholars and advocates in the field of domestic violence. (4/5/11)
• Co-author (with NV State Senator Richard “Tick” Segerblom),  article on workplace bullying,  COMMUNIQUÉ, the official journal of the Clark County Bar Association, Las Vegas (5/11).  Sen. Segerblom has proposed workplace anti-bullying legislation in Nevada.
• She is also the author of  two books for CQ Press that are held in libraries around the world:  CQ’s Desk Reference on American Criminal Justice and CQ’s Desk Reference on the American Courts ;  and, editor of  Domestic Violence: From a Private Matter to a Federal Offense. She is a past contributor to The ABA Journal and  has written articles for many national publications, including Salon, Newsweek and The National Law Journal.
• For something completely different, read Ms. Barnes  book on book dedications called Tender, Tawdry & Timeless Book Dedications (2015);