Home Free Resume Creator Free Cover Letter Free Reference Page Interview Thank You Letter Resignation Letter Free Business Cards Career Help & Support Contact

Ageism in the Workplace

Ageism in the workplace is not a new concept, but one thing is for sure if this is happening to you or someone you know, you have every right to speak out against it in the name of the law.

Ageism in the Workplace

ageism in the workplace It is a fact that ever since the recession more and more mature workers (those over 40 years old) have been laid off disproportionately. People ignore a lot of this discrimination. Do people fear for their jobs, so they don't speak out? Has it been tacitly accepted by employees to let these acts of discrimination happen? Of course, it would be prudent to get legal advice from an attorney to be properly informed about this problem.

You don't want to find yourself in this situation, but you must be aware of the signs to spot this growing problem and potentially stop it. If you think you are becoming a target of ageism in the workplace, there are specific actions that you must take to fight back. Take notice of these signs to be more educated about this injustice.

Ageism in the Workplace

Listed below are some of the most general and common signs of ageism in the workplace. Please take note of them and be more certain that your situation is what you think it is. There are occasions when these signs are not instances of ageism; the reason for this behavior may be that the personalities of the individuals that you work with are less than pleasant.

  • Comments
    If you have been the victim of comments muttered to you at work, comments such as nicknames describing your age, young or old, or harsh teasing specifically about your age. These comments are biased and unfair.

    Are you a good worker, but your employer calls you out on the fact that you need a walker to move around? Do they say that you're so young you're barely old enough to work? These comments are hurtful and are considered discriminatory.
  • Unequal Treatment
    How are you treated as an employee by managers and coworkers compared to others who are younger or older than you? If you notice a consistent difference in treatment between age groups, then you may be experiencing instances of ageism.

    Regardless of age, all employees should receive equal treatment. If you notice that most of the layoffs in your company are taking place among a certain age group, then you may have a case.
  • Promotions
    Ageism doesn't have to be about the lay off of older individuals. If you are a perfectly qualified, younger employee and your manager has recommended you for a promotion, then gave it to a less qualified, older individual. They might have discriminated against you due to your young age.
  • New Hires
    Pay attention to the new hires that join your company. Are they all close in age, a younger age? Companies have a bad habit of hiring younger workers and paying them much less than older, more seasoned employees.

    Do you see many new hires that are all averaging a certain age? Then beware, because not only is ageism possibly occurring, but there may soon be a sweep of layoffs of their more mature workers.
  • Excuses
    Companies and management will start to come up with excuses about why older workers are not as productive as younger workers. Many of the common excuses that they tend to use are that older workers complain, have expensive medical problems, are slow to adapt to new concepts, are set in their ways, and are even afraid of new technological advances.

    All of those excuses sound ridiculous, but the truth is that they are used to justify whom they will hire and whom they will fire.
If you are experiencing any of these tragic events of ageism in your workplace, no matter what your age, you shouldn't stay there and let these illegal acts take place. There needs to be more regulation on ageism in this country. The best thing that you can do is to bring your situation to the attention of your HR department. Together, you and your coworkers can fight this injustice!