2023 Tennessee Code › Title 4 - STATE GOVERNMENT (§§ 4-1-101 — 4-58-110) › Chapter 21 - HUMAN RIGHTS (§§ 4-21-101 — 4-21-1004) › Part 4 - EMPLOYMENT-RELATED DISCRIMINATION (§§ 4-21-401 — 4-21-409) › Section 4-21-407 - Age discrimination

(a)
It is not unlawful for an employer, employment agency or labor organization to:
(1)
Discriminate in employment on the basis of age where age is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business, or where the differentiation is based on reasonable factors other than age; or
(2)
Observe the terms of a bona fide seniority system or any bona fide employee benefit plan, such as a retirement, pension or insurance plan, that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this chapter, except that no such employee benefit plan shall excuse the failure to hire any individual, and no such seniority system or employee benefit plan shall require or permit the involuntary retirement of any individual specified by §
4-21-101(b)
because of the age of such individual, unless otherwise provided by law.
(b)
The prohibitions imposed by this chapter relating to age discrimination in employment shall be limited to individuals who are at least forty (40) years of age.
(c)
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter relating to age discrimination in employment, it is not unlawful for an employer, employment agency or labor organization subject to the other provisions of this chapter to observe the terms of a bona fide seniority system or any bona fide employee benefit plan, such as a retirement, pension or insurance plan, that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this chapter, except that no such employee benefit plan shall excuse the failure to hire any individual, and no such seniority system or employee benefit plan shall require or permit the involuntary retirement of any individual covered by this chapter because of the age of such individual.
(d)
Nothing in this chapter relating to age discrimination shall be construed to prohibit compulsory retirement of any employee who has attained sixty-five (65) years of age and who, for the two-year period immediately before retirement, is employed in a bona fide executive or a high policymaking position, if such employee is entitled to an immediate nonforfeitable annual retirement benefit from a pension, profit-sharing, savings or deferred compensation plan, or any combination of such plans, of the employer of such employee, that equals, in the aggregate, at least forty-four thousand dollars ($44,000).
(e)
(1)
It is not unlawful for an employer subject to this chapter to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual because of such individual's age if such action is taken:
(A)
With respect to the employment of an individual as a firefighter or a law enforcement officer and the individual has attained the age of hiring or retirement in effect under applicable state or local law on March 3, 1983; and
(B)
Pursuant to a bona fide hiring or retirement plan that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this chapter.
(2)
For the purposes of this part, unless the context otherwise requires:
(A)
"Firefighter" means an employee, the duties of whose position are primarily to perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of fires or the maintenance and use of firefighting apparatus and equipment, including an employee engaged in this activity who is transferred to a supervisory or administrative position; and
(B)
"Law enforcement officer" means an employee, the duties of whose position are primarily the investigation, apprehension or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against state criminal laws, including an employee engaged in this activity who is transferred to a supervisory or administrative position. For the purposes of this subdivision (e)(2)(B), "detention" includes the duties of employees assigned to guard individuals incarcerated in any penal institution.
(3)
This subsection (e) shall not apply with respect to any cause of action arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (
29 U.S.C. § 621
et seq.), as in effect before January 1, 1987.
Acts 1980, ch. 732, §§ 10, 11; T.C.A., §§ 4-21-125, 4-21-126; Acts 1988, ch. 714, §§ 1-5; 1992, ch. 1027, § 18.