Age Discrimination

Discrimination is an ugly word.  It doesn’t just affect women or people of certain ethnic groups, it affects everyone.  One of the more visible and widely growing forms of discrimination is age discrimination.

I personally know several very talented, brilliant seniors who have been turned down for jobs they were perfectly suited for because of their age.  It’s not only wrong, but it’s also illegal.  It’s been going on for years, but with the changes in the economy, it’s probably going to become a lot more obvious.  That’s because not only will people be discriminated against in job searches, but also in downsizing and layoffs. 

Companies want to hire younger workers, they also want to keep younger workers.  That means that older workers should be aware of their rights when it comes to getting jobs and losing them.

Like any other form of discrimination, age discrimination is not always easy to prove.  However, if the vast majority of layoffs at a company are of older workers there could be a problem.  There is a lot of wiggle room for companies to argue that what they’re doing is not discriminatory.  For example, it’s possible that the older workers may have been there longer and as such earn more than the younger ones.  Given the choice between laying off a more expensive employee and an equally competent cheaper employee, a company is likely to maximize its dollars by laying off the more expensive employee.

Like all forms of discrimination, age discrimination must be fought and it’s going to take the American workforce to stand up and cry foul.  Age discrimination is based on outdated stereotypes and life expectancies that were many years shorter.

With many people losing their retirement funds, a lot of seniors are contemplating going back to work.  This increase will probably help highlight the discrimination in hiring practices.

If you believe that you or a family member has been discriminated against because of their age or any other reason, consult with an attorney.  An attorney will let you know what your options are and should be able to give you a pretty good idea what the strengths and weaknesses of your case are. 

Related Links:

• Get the facts about battling age discrimination.
• Understand what’s involved in a discrimination lawsuit.