How To Overcome Age Discrimination
How To Overcome Age Discrimination
Do you think you’re facing age discrimination or ageism in your job search? Do you feel like no one is hiring you because you’re older than the competition? You’re not alone with these feelings. However, there’s some important things you need to know if you want to overcome this challenge…
Okay, so first, I want to tackle a HUGE misconception about age discrimination in the workforce.
The truth is, it’s not age discrimination that’s holding you back.
It’s experience discrimination.
It’s a true case of supply and demand that’s happening right now.
There are 77 million Baby Boomers in the workforce. These are people who are in their late 50s and 60s who are still active in their careers. But here’s the thing, Millennials make up half of the workforce right now, and the oldest Millennials are in their 30s, which means they have skills and experience under their belts. They’re no longer newbies.
African-Americans see painful truths in Trump victory.They’re troubled by why so many white voters chose this candidate
On the morning after, a unique wave of despair, anger, fear and depression washed over much of black America.
After learning that Donald Trump had been elected president, some folks cried. Sought refuge in the Bible. Comforted frightened children. Or steeled themselves for life under a president who has retweeted white supremacists, promised to increase stop-and-frisk policing in poor black neighborhoods, falsely connected Mexican immigrants to crime, and launched his political brand by attackingthe legitimacy of the first black president’s birth certificate. Plenty of white Hillary Clinton supporters also felt strong emotions after Trump’s victory. But his track record on race seemed to make his triumph cut deeper and feel more personal to many African-Americans.
One sentiment rang loudest in many African-American hearts and minds: The election shows where we really stand. Now the truth is plain to see, many said – the truth about how an uncomfortable percentage of white people view the concerns and lives of their black fellow citizens.
“Transparency is the order of the day. Now we see what was hidden,” said Melvin Steals, a retired teacher and principal who lives in the western Pennsylvania town of Baden. Fifty-seven percent of his county, a mix of rural areas and hollowed-out towns, voted for Trump.
“It’s like the era after Reconstruction all over again, when they wanted to eradicate all of the gains made by blacks after the Civil War,” Steals said. After the war that ended slavery, an activist federal government helped the South’s newly freed African-Americans gain a toehold in society and elected offices before a racist backlash firmly restored white supremacy.
Julia Roberts slams age discrimination in Hollywood
Julia Roberts slams age discrimination in Hollywood
Julia Roberts thinks age discrimination in Hollywood is “bulls**t”.
The 50-year-old actress has slammed the idea that older stars shouldn’t be given movie roles.
And says that whilst she’s managed to maintain a lucrative career for three decades, she doesn’t think she’s “special” when it comes to the talent pool of stars in Hollywood.
Speaking about age discrimination in Hollywood, particularly toward older women, Julia said: “I think that’s made-up bulls**t that at a certain age, the bell is going to ring and you are done, go on back home. It’s silly and I don’t think anybody buys into that. I don’t think I am special. I’ve always been fortunate that I have always found the work I am looking for. I mean, 30 years is a long time and I am grateful and satisfied.”
The ‘Homecoming’ actress also spoke about the gender pay gap, saying that whilst the problem still exists, it is getting better “every day”.
Age Discrimination by Employers Is Common, AARP Survey Says
Here’s who has seen or experienced it and how it happens
The vast majority of Americans who work into in their 50s, 60s and beyond need to keep making money as they grow older but encounter widespread age discrimination in job hunts and at the workplace, a new AARP survey has found.
AARP surveyed 3,900 people age 45 and older who were working full-time or part-time or looking for work and learned that more than nine in 10 older workers see age discrimination as common. And 61 percent say they’ve personally seen or experienced it. Women are more likely than men to have seen or experienced age discrimination, according to the survey. More than three quarters of African-American respondents, 60 percent of Latinos and 59 percent of whites reported seeing or experiencing it.
What AARP Says About Age Discrimination
“Older workers want to work, they’re ready to work and they need to work,” said Susan Weinstock, AARP’s vice president of financial resilience. “They should have the opportunity to be judged on their merits, rather than their age.”
But the survey results strongly suggest older job applicants routinely are denied that opportunity. Since turning 40, a striking 30 percent of respondents experienced at least one of these six actions and 17 percent experienced two or more: not getting hired for a job they applied for because of their age; heard negative remarks related to their older age from a colleague; passed up for a chance to get ahead because of their age; heard negative remarks related to their older age from a supervisor; were laid off, fired or forced out of job because of their age or were denied access to training or professional development opportunities because of their age.
Among respondents who’ve applied for a new position in the past two years, 44 percent said they were asked for age-related information such as birth dates and graduation years. Such information is often used to discriminate against older applicants and requests for it discourage many older workers from applying, according to AARP.
Fears of Getting Hired After a Job Loss
About one third of the survey respondents said they doubted they’d be able to quickly land another job if theirs was eliminated. Almost half of them said the major reason would be age discrimination.
Government data shows that nearly one third of workers 55 and older who lose their jobs are unemployed a financially-dangerous six months or more. By contrast, just 18 percent of those ages 16 to 54 are out of work similar periods.
The AARP survey also suggests that most older workers don’t think they have much protection against age discrimination. While a majority reported seeing or experiencing age bias, barely three percent said they’d filed a formal complaint with an employer or government agency.
What the Age Discrimination Law Says
Age bias is prohibited under the 51-year-old Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Originally, the law included protections similar to those against other forms of workplace prejudice. But it has been weakened over time by a series of court rulings that have narrowed the law’s scope and sharply increased what’s required to prove a case.
Read more…
Ageism: Campaign aims to tackle age discrimination
AUSTRALIA’S seniors will be called on to rise up next year with a massive national push to combat ageism.
A multi-pronged campaign to be launched in the autumn aims to tackle discrimination, change attitudes and shatter stereotypes, making ageism unacceptable in society.
“This is about changing social norms and attitudes, addressing this form of discrimination in the same way as racism and sexism,’’ Marlene Krasovitsky, Older Australians campaign director at The Benevolent Society, said.
The charity is spearheading a coalition of agencies in the EveryAGE Counts push, under the guidance of a steering group of 14 “eminent Australians” including Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson.
The movement will include a grassroots network of seniors and supporters to lobby, with the organisers drawing inspiration from the recent same-sex marriage victory.
“We’ve had a wonderful example with the same-sex equality campaign,” Ms Krasovitsky said.
“We want older people involved at all stages and levels – whether it’s the steering group, part of these social movements, or knocking on the doors of MPs.”
They will be seeking tougher laws and policies in areas such as employment, access to housing, health services and aged care, and “a national agenda’’ including the appointment of a dedicated federal Minister for Older Australians.
But the key aim is to change the hearts and minds of ordinary people toward seniors – and their own ageing – including media portrayals.
“We see the same old images. A person with a Zimmer frame walking down the corridor of an aged care facility,” Ms Krasovitsky said.
Such stereotypes reinforced a perception of frailty, declining capacity and dependency.
“For so long we’ve portrayed getting older as negative. We are stuck in this paradigm of old being decline,” she said.
We still talk about seniors’ moments and talk about aches as getting older. But many old people rate their health as good or excellent and are looking forward to this time of life.”
Age Discrimination in the Workplace: What Your Business Needs to Know
Age discrimination against older employees is illegal in the U.S. – and legislation is in place to protect employees (and prospective employees) over the age of 40 who might otherwise be disadvantaged simply because of their age.
However, despite the clear and unambiguous legal safeguards in place to protect employees from age discrimination in the workplace, many workers over the age of 40 still face ageism at work, which can potentially cost your business money in lost productivity and performance, as well as exposing you to the very real risk of a legal challenge.
In this article, we’ll review age discrimination in the workplace, share some facts and figures on the scope of the problem, and highlight five things that every business needs to know about age discrimination – and how to prevent it.
What is age discrimination in the workplace?
Age discrimination in the workplace is the negative or disadvantageous treatment of employees based on their age rather than performance or merit. While any employee can be targeted by age discrimination – including younger employees – protection from age discrimination is mandated in law only for employees over the age of 40, which is the main target group for age-based discrimination in the workplace.
The law pertaining to the prevention of age discrimination applies to every stage of the employment process, including recruitment and job advertising, hiring and interviewing practices, job assignments, performance reviews, benefits, career advancement, and termination.
Legal protection against age discrimination in the workplace is provided under the remit of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967), or ADEA, and failure to protect and preserve the rights of older workers is a type of employment discrimination.
Age discrimination facts and figures in the workplace
To give you a feel for the scope of age discrimination in the U.S., here are some facts and figures that outline how widespread the problem really is:
Age Discrimination in the Workplace: What Your Business Needs to Know
Age discrimination in the workplace not only exposes a business to costly legal threats, it can also hurt employees’ productivity and performance. Learn what ageism is legally and how your organization can best prevent it.
Age discrimination against older employees is illegal in the USA – and legislation is in place to protect employees (and prospective employees) over the age of 40 who might otherwise be disadvantaged simply because of their age.
However, despite the clear and unambiguous legal safeguards in place to protect employees from age discrimination in the workplace, many workers over the age of 40 still face ageism at work, which can potentially cost your business money in lost productivity and performance, as well as exposing you to the very real risk of a legal challenge.
Age discrimination in the workplace not only exposes a business to costly legal threats, it can also hurt employees’ productivity and performance. Learn what ageism is legally and how your organization can best prevent it. Age discrimination against older employees is illegal in the USA – and legislation is in place to protect employees (and prospective employees) over the age of 40 who might otherwise be disadvantaged simply because of their age. However, despite the clear and unambiguous legal safeguards in place to protect employees from age discrimination in the workplace, many workers over the age of 40 still face ageism at work, which can potentially cost your business money in lost productivity and performance, as well as exposing you to the very real risk of a legal challenge. In this article, we’ll review age discrimination in the workplace, share some facts and figures on the scope of the problem, and highlight five things that every business needs to know about age discrimination – and how to prevent it.
MAN CLAIMS AGE DISCRIMINATION IN SUIT AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Riddle School District is pushing back against a lawsuit that claims they didn’t hire a coach because of age discrimination.
Jack Ball filed a lawsuit in October against the district, saying he was 73 years old when he applied to be the coach of the girls’ varsity basketball team at Riddle High School. He claims he wasn’t chosen because of his age.
Ball said he was qualified for the position, having coached nearly 400 games since 1962.
He said the district told him he wasn’t hired because of complaints from students threatening to quit the team. The lawsuit claims this explanation is either false or because of Ball’s age.
The Riddle School District is pushing back against a lawsuit that claims they didn’t hire a coach because of age discrimination. Jack Ball filed a lawsuit in October against the district, saying he was 73 years old when he applied to be the coach of the girls’ varsity basketball team at Riddle High School. He claims he wasn’t chosen because of his age. Ball said he was qualified for the position, having coached nearly 400 games since 1962. He said the district told him he wasn’t hired because of complaints from students threatening to quit the team. The lawsuit claims this explanation is either false or because of Ball’s age. The Riddle School District is pushing back against a lawsuit that claims they didn’t hire a coach because of age discrimination. Jack Ball filed a lawsuit in October against the district, saying he was 73 years old when he applied to be the coach of the girls’ varsity basketball team at Riddle High School. He claims he wasn’t chosen because of his age. Ball said he was qualified for the position, having coached nearly 400 games since 1962. He said the district told him he wasn’t hired because of complaints from students threatening to quit the team. The lawsuit claims this explanation is either false or because of Ball’s age.
Former nurse files complaint, accuses Boone Hospital Center of age discrimination
A former nurse filed a complaint against Boone Hospital Center on Wednesday after she was fired in February.
According to the complaint, Gayanna Kinkade-Bohlmeyer had been employed at the hospital since 1994.
Bohlmeyer said she always received satisfactory evaluations and was never in trouble with her employer.
Bohlymeyer said right before she was fired she was asked to do a drug screening test because there were allegations that she had come to work under the influence of some drug. The test came back negative.
Bohlymeyer said she was fired after a supervisor asked her to discharge a patient after another nurse had already filed discharge papers. Bohlymeyer said she followed protocol and crossed out the other nurse’s name and put her signature with the date and time.
A former nurse filed a complaint against Boone Hospital Center on Wednesday after she was fired in February. According to the complaint, Gayanna Kinkade-Bohlmeyer had been employed at the hospital since 1994. Bohlmeyer said she always received satisfactory evaluations and was never in trouble with her employer. Bohlymeyer said right before she was fired she was asked to do a drug screening test because there were allegations that she had come to work under the influence of some drug. The test came back negative. Bohlymeyer said she was fired after a supervisor asked her to discharge a patient after another nurse had already filed discharge papers. Bohlymeyer said she followed protocol and crossed out the other nurse’s name and put her signature with the date and time. Bohlymeyer said she was fired after a supervisor asked her to discharge a patient after another nurse had already filed discharge papers. Bohlymeyer said she followed protocol and crossed out the other nurse’s name and put her signature with the date and time.
No age discrimination protections for small political subdivisions, 9th Circuit rules
Arizona’s smallest towns and fire districts do not have the same protections against federal age-discrimination lawsuits as small private companies, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by the Mount Lemmon Fire District that the federal law does not apply to government employers of fewer than 20 workers. That, the attorneys said, means the men have no legal right to claim they were fired because of their age.
But Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, said that’s not the way Congress wrote the law.
Monday’s ruling does not mean that either John Guido or Dennis Rankin, both in their 40s when they were terminated, will get their jobs back. But unless overturned, it means they will get a chance to make their case to a jury in federal court.
Arizona’s smallest towns and fire districts do not have the same protections against federal age-discrimination lawsuits as small private companies, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by the Mount Lemmon Fire District that the federal law does not apply to government employers of fewer than 20 workers. That, the attorneys said, means the men have no legal right to claim they were fired because of their age. But Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, said that’s not the way Congress wrote the law. Monday’s ruling does not mean that either John Guido or Dennis Rankin, both in their 40s when they were terminated, will get their jobs back. But unless overturned, it means they will get a chance to make their case to a jury in federal court.