Age discrimination is a major issue in the workplace. With time, it will only continue to grow.
Thus, it is important for workers to begin seeing the telltale signs early. What points to age discrimination, and what can workers do about it?
Passing over older workers for promotions
Forbes discusses the alarming prevalence of ageism in almost all workplaces. This comes in many forms, with some actions so subtle that the discriminated party does not even notice at first.
For example, many older workers end up passed over because of an assumption that their newer counterparts have fresh knowledge and a better perspective on the current work situation. This entirely neglects the older worker’s valuable experience.
In other instances, older workers may get passed up because of an assumption that they do not have the physical or mental prowess necessary to complete certain tasks or carry out certain jobs. This happens more often with jobs that require physical labor in some form, but can extend to jobs that revolve around memory-based tasks, too.
Social isolation
Sometimes, older workers even end up socially isolated due to their age. Younger employees and colleagues make no attempt to reach out and communicate with their older peers, creating pockets of division within the company culture.
It is possible to take action against ageism at work. Workers aged 40 and over have protections under federal state law, as anti-discrimination laws protect older workers.
Thus, anyone facing ageism at work can contact Human Resources (HR) and determine what their next steps might look like, including what legal actions they can take.