Discrimination occurs when employers allow a worker’s protected characteristic to affect their career. Most employees understand that businesses cannot consider their race, religion or sex when making key employment decisions.
They also know that their employers have to protect them from harassment based on those characteristics. Age discrimination is less well known, possibly because people find the concept confusing. What workers are potentially at risk of age discrimination on the job?
Discrimination affects older employees
Technically, employers can consider a youthful worker’s age when making hiring decisions. Younger workers may not yet have accrued enough experience to fulfill job requirements. They may lack the training or degree necessary for the role.
Age discrimination laws do not necessarily protect younger workers. Instead, they focus on the unfair treatment of workers at or past age 40. Age discrimination can affect older workers for a number of reasons. Employers may try to push out older, more experienced workers to replace them with younger, lower-paid ones.
Age discrimination can be particularly problematic in public-facing jobs. Service employees, salespeople and others who directly interact with the public or with customers/clients may be more at risk of age discrimination.
Some research also indicates that women are especially vulnerable to age discrimination. Appearance bias can often influence employment and advancement opportunities for female employees, and those who are over a certain age may not meet the unspoken aesthetic requirements of their employers.
Fighting back against age discrimination can help workers recover from the economic impact of a company denying them opportunities because of their age. Documentation of mistreatment in the workplace or the use of age to justify unfavorable employment decisions can help workers hold their employers accountable.
