Commercial electrical contractor Hatzel & Buehler will pay $500,000 to settle claims brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging age discrimination against job applicants.

According to the EEOC, a vice president at the company's New Jersey branch rejected multiple applicants because of their age. The complaint cited specific instances, including a 65-year-old candidate who was told they didn't fit the executive's "ideal age range" of 30-45.

The company also failed to maintain required job application and hiring records, violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. As part of the settlement, the vice president will be barred from making hiring decisions for affected positions. Hatzel & Buehler denies the allegations.

This case is one of several where employers' alleged use of coded language has been linked to age discrimination. Similar cases include Exact Sciences and Dollar General.

"Job candidates should be evaluated on their qualifications, not their age," said Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC. "The EEOC will continue to hold employers accountable for age-discriminatory practices."

The ADEA prohibits employment discrimination against people aged 40 and older and requires employers to maintain specific records. Despite these protections, age discrimination remains a persistent issue in U.S. workplaces. Efforts to strengthen age bias protections through legislation have been ongoing.