▁through ▁the ▁employ ment ▁relationship , ▁and ▁through ▁dec isions ▁for ▁lay offs ▁or ▁term ination ▁of ▁the ▁employ ment ▁relationship . ▁An ▁age ▁limit ▁may ▁only ▁be ▁leg ally ▁specified ▁for ▁protected ▁workers ▁in ▁the ▁circumst ance ▁where ▁age ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁" b ona ▁f ide ▁occup ational ▁qual ification ▁[ B FO Q ] ▁reason ably ▁necessary ▁to ▁the ▁normal ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁particular ▁business " ▁( see ▁). ▁In ▁practice , ▁B FO Q s ▁for ▁age ▁are ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁obvious ▁( h iring ▁a ▁young ▁actor ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁young ▁character ▁in ▁a ▁movie ) ▁or ▁when ▁public ▁safety ▁is ▁at ▁st ake ▁( for ▁example , ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁age ▁limits ▁for ▁pil ots ▁and ▁bus ▁drivers ). ▁The ▁A DE A ▁does ▁not ▁stop ▁an ▁employ er ▁from ▁favor ing ▁an ▁older ▁employee ▁over ▁a ▁younger ▁one , ▁even ▁when ▁the ▁younger ▁one ▁is ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁California ▁passed ▁state ▁bill ▁AB - 1 6 8 7 , ▁an ▁anti - age ism ▁law ▁taking ▁effect ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁requiring ▁" com mer cial ▁online ▁entertain ment ▁employ ment " ▁services ▁that ▁allow ▁paid ▁subscri bers ▁to ▁submit ▁information ▁and ▁res umes ▁( such ▁as ▁IM DB ▁Pro ), ▁to ▁honor ▁requests ▁to ▁have ▁their ▁ages ▁and ▁birth days ▁removed . ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁S AG - AF T