Old Age Discrimination Stereotypes

– “Have enough gas in the tank?”– An older age “you are who you are”– Less potential – Assumed desired salary higher – Younger “to-be employees” have modern

knowledge in comparison to the older– Issue working for younger boss – Belief that technical skills are out of date

Discrimination in Job Search

• “We are looking for a young, enthusiastic person”

• “Male or female, not more than 30 years old”• “Younger applicants preferred”

Signs

• Comments or jokes towards an employee directed at their age

• “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” – No further training

• Pressure to retire • Allocation of tasks• Lack of subjective feedback

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids discrimination based on age for those individuals ages 40 and older. An individual is also covered when an employer discriminates in hiring, firing, wage benefits, hours worked, and availability of overtime based on age.

How to Prevent Discrimination

• Work teams are assigned based on skill and capabilities no personalities and age

• Makes for a cohesive team • Human Resources develop training on the

ADEA • Reinforcing the importance of maintaining fair

employment practices

• http://www.fmc.gov/bureaus_offices/basis_of_discrimination.aspx