In most societies, people are taught to respect their elders as they have more life experience than their younger counterparts. That being said, many older adults experience age discrimination in the workplace, and without the right tools, it may be hard to recognize when it happens. And it is essential to note that age discrimination is illegal, which is why this article will review five of the most common types of age discrimination in the workplace.
Isolation in a workplace may look like an older employee not being invited to new training. It can also appear as an employer spending more time and energy on younger employees. This isolation can make everything else difficult, such as missing out on promotion and making connections, which will be discussed later. It can also cause the employee’s productivity to plummet; in some cases, this is done on purpose so an employer can find a reason to fire them.
You may also notice that older employees get little to no promotions or compensation increases compared to younger employees. This becomes obvious when younger employees with little experience are getting the promotions older and more experienced employees should have received. If you notice that workers are not advancing based on qualification and experience, it may be worth looking into an employment age discrimination lawyer.
Companies may target older employees first when they need to make cuts to increase their budget and pay other expenses. It is illegal to fire a person based on their age. If you notice an older employee is fired and a younger one takes their place, this could signify age discrimination. This is especially so if the older employee once in that position was great at their job and had a lot of experience.
Treating an older worker unfairly as opposed to a younger employee should be investigated. This is especially so with disciplinary action. Employees may even use disciplinary action to cover up their discriminatory actions and have a reason to fire you. In these cases, it is always important to look or ask around and see how others who made the same mistakes were treated. It may be as little as having a stricter supervisor or as serious as age discrimination.
It is important to note that harassment may not seem as obvious as someone referring to an older employee as a “geezer” or “boomer.” Ageist jokes, comments, or phrases such as “fresh blood” or even “overqualified” should be paid attention to. However, it can even be as apparent as an employer asking you why you haven’t retired yet. This should be paid attention to, especially if it is in tandem with other forms of discrimination on this list.
Any form of discrimination, big or small, is undeserved. And now that you know the five types of age discrimination in the workplace, you’re better equipped to recognize if you are being discriminated against so you can seek proper compensation.
