The Reality of Age Discrimination in the Workplace: Insights from a New Study

Many employees over the age of forty may feel that their age becomes an obstacle at their workplace. Age discrimination in employment exists more frequently than it should, and it manifests in different forms. Ageism takes many forms, ranging from subtle pressure to exit your position to outright workplace harassment of older workers.

MyPerfectResume recently issued a report that revealed what older workers have to face. Ageism exists in every workplace, according to 99 percent of the 1,000 employees surveyed who were forty years old or older. The survey results show that 92 percent of employees experience pressure to minimize their work experience or conceal their age to prevent negative workplace judgments. The research shows that employers tend to disregard the contributions that older employees deliver to their organizations.

But it doesn’t stop there. The research shows that workplace bullying targets older workers at rates reaching 86 percent. The collected data reveals that age-based discrimination remains widespread as a major issue that affects employee confidence and workplace belonging.

Age-related stereotypes can have major negative effects on one’s career, work performance, and well-being. The survey shows that 88 percent of participants have modified their work behavior to match their younger colleagues.

Age discrimination is illegal under California state law and federal regulations and is an unfair and unpleasant experience for employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Fair Employment and Housing Act protect people aged forty and above from age-based discrimination in hiring processes, promotion decisions, compensation levels, layoffs, and other employment choices.

Age discrimination manifests through promotion denial to older workers who meet requirements and experience, task reassignment to undesirable positions, age-related comments about job suitability, and unjustified negative performance evaluations. The law also protects workers when employers force them into retirement using layoffs or early retirement pressure or fail to address workplace harassment. Refusing to hire job candidates because of their age also amounts to age discrimination.

A workplace should guarantee that all staff members including those of any age receive professional treatment and receive credit for their distinctive abilities and career history. Some employers actively disregard the rights of older workers or actively participate in their unfair treatment. When facing age discrimination at work, you may wonder what legal actions you should take.

Document your experiences: Begin recording incidents that appear to be age-related discriminatory behavior. Make sure to record every instance that may indicate discrimination. The situation includes emails or messages that focus specifically on your age. Documented evidence provides valuable proof when you need to pursue legal action in the future.

Discriminatory workplace incidents should be reported to Human Resources, although the situation may become uncomfortable. You must report age-related biases whenever you experience them affecting your work environment or career development. HR departments serve as the authority that resolves these problems while building an environment free of bias for every worker.

Knowledge of your rights under California law provides the necessary confidence to take action when you believe you have been treated unfairly. An employer, along with a job recruiter, faces possible legal consequences for age discrimination. Organizations should create programs that fight discrimination and conduct reviews of their recruitment procedures.

At McCormack Law Firm, we understand how difficult it can be to deal with age discrimination at work. If you are experiencing workplace issues due to your age, our San Francisco employment lawyers are here to help you take the necessary steps to address the problem. Contact us today for a free case evaluation to learn more.