Examples Of Age Discrimination In The Workplace

Age discrimination in the workplace stems from the stereotypes and preconceived notions that certain people have about aging and how it negatively affects productivity, ability, and job performance. This is a crime when people aged 40 years or older are the targets of discrimination and abuse due to their age. Although age discrimination in the workplace is illegal under both California and federal employment laws, unfortunately it can be insidious, indirect and sometimes unintentional, making it hard to detect. Read on for examples of what age discrimination in the workplace can look like.

Rude Comments or Insults About Age

Sometimes, you may hear demeaning or derogatory comments about age and these micro-aggressions contribute towards a larger hostile atmosphere of age discrimination in the workplace. Even though these comments may be general in nature and not specifically directed at anyone, they still reinforce negative stereotypes about older employees and are a sign of age discrimination.

Older Employees Being Purposefully Overlooked

One tactic that employers may use to isolate older workers is to prevent them from taking on important tasks and projects, making them look unproductive and incompetent. Not being able to contribute effectively also disheartens employees, and many start questioning their existence in the company. You can also look out for patterns that show younger workers constantly being promoted over older workers, without any consideration for the capabilities of each employee. This is a sign that older workers are being overlooked in favor of younger employees.

Unfair Performance Reviews

Some employers give older employees poor performance reviews intentionally despite these employees not having any performance issues. Employers do this because they are trying to manipulate and create a legitimate reason to fire older workers. If you have never had any prior history of poor performance but find yourself suddenly receiving more and more bad reviews, you may be a victim of age discrimination in the workplace.

Hiring Younger Workers Only

Does your company have a pattern of hiring younger workers? If so, then this might be a case of age discrimination. Companies that pride themselves on their youthful spirit or young workforce are often buying into misconceptions about older employees being less innovative, unable to learn new things, and generally falling behind the modern world. Some employers may also refer to older potential employees as overqualified as an excuse to not hire them.

Forcing Retirement

Age discrimination can also come in the form of early retirement packages. Employers market these retirement packages as rewards or incentives, and it is hard for older employees to refuse them. If they reject the ‘opportunity’ to retire, the company may fire them afterwards anyway.

How Do I Fight Age Discrimination?

Hiring an experienced and reliable discrimination employment attorney is the first step to fighting age discrimination. At Sirmabekian Law Firm, we prioritize discrimination cases because we totally understand that age discrimination cases are complex to prove and extremely emotionally taxing on the victims. Contact us now for a free consultation session where we will show you how we can prepare a persuasive and strong case for you to protect your workplace rights.