Age Discrimination Is An Up And Coming Epidemic For All Ages

According to The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (n.d.), “The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects individuals 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on their age and it applies to both job applicants and employees. With regards to condition, any term or privilege of employment, it is against the law under the ADEA to discriminate against a person because of his/her age which includes layoff promotion, compensation, hiring, firing, training, job assignments and benefits. It is also unlawful for an employer to discriminate against anyone for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on age or for filing as age discrimination charge, testifying or participating in an in an investigation proceeding or litigation under the ADEA” (para.1).

First, Age discrimination is a very common reason why some people are not employed. However, there are laws in place that prohibits this kind of discrimination. Miller gave an explanation on the about age discrimination act (ADEA) of 1967, it prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age against individuals forty years of age or older (Miller,2013).

Age discrimination in the workforce is a major issue in Today’s society. Although this is hardly ever mentioned, it is a concern that affects the aging population and their work performance. Those who are of old age are often not given a chance and looked down on. They are thought of as being mentally and physically in decline, less adaptable, unwilling to be trained, and costly to the organization. The elderly are considered “slow workers.” They are often forced to work extra hard to prove to their employer, they are capable of working as effective as the young. Defining someone’s work performance according to their age is against the law. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) addresses discrimination against the older population. This Act was passed by congress to ensure people of age 40 and older are given fair judgment in the workforce; however, the maturing population of baby boomers has led to an increasing number of elderly workers. This has cause age discrimination to rise. It is important that we review and analyze age discrimination has a political issues that must be changed. Although ADEA sets out to help the aging population, changes should be made within the employer. In order to seek change, one must first understand ADEA and how it promotes fair treatment for the elderly.

Another barrier is economics. The perception of age discrimination as an economic issue is very prevalent. “Freedom from discrimination due to race and gender is considered a civil right guaranteed for all individuals, with violation of this right typically being denounced and prompting remedial action.” (Thomas K., 2007) Yet the case for age discrimination is not the same. People like to think this is because of the idea that performance declines with age which is true but not for everyone and not for every type of job.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protects against age discrimination under Title VII. Specifically, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which was passed in 1967 by congress, covers discrimination against employees who are 40 or more years old. This topic should be a big concern for employers, since the number of elderly workers is increasing as the baby boomer population matures. It is estimated that as many as twenty-percent of the claims filed with the EEOC are for age discrimination. Also, age discrimination settlements can be considerably higher than typical discrimination cases. Upon research, the average award amount between 1955 and 1988 was $219,000.

While it may seem fair to enforce laws against age discrimination against workers over the age of forty,

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 was established to provide fairness in the workplace for citizens over the age of 40. This law was intended to guard against employers using unscrupulous hiring practices and unfairly firing individuals without legitimate reasons. The Civil Rights Act was updated to fight discrimination based on sex, race, and religion, but never addressed the issue of age. Age related concerns arose during the 1960’s when the economy began to change rapidly in technology and scope. Many experienced professionals were being displaced or simply discriminated against, because it was believed that it was cheaper to hire and train inexperienced employees, or because it would save on pension expense that was due to personnel approaching retirement age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 provides security for older employees that have the competency to do work but are held in prejudice, because they are advancing in years.

Age discrimination has long been present in society due to the rapid development happening around us. According to Farney, Aday & Breault (2006), this era of ageism is defined as "discrimination against any age group", but it often is pointed to age discrimination among adults which is slowly causing a negative effect for them in the workplace. In the workplace, adults with more experience and longer history behind them are targets of this ageism belief that companies and employers tend to have (Farney, Aday, & Breault, 2006). They are shunned and even fired in favor of accepting new and fresh faces for the company they have worked for. Unknown to most companies and employers, this notion of favoring the young and banishing the old can

Age discrimination in employment is a complex issue which impacts many areas of Government policy and has many implications for individuals themselves. Age discrimination can occur across all spectrums of employment and can affect both young and old. Age discrimination can affect a person’s chances of getting a job, and potentially their chances of promotion or development within the workplace. Age can also be a factor when employers are deciding who should be selected during a workforce downsize or redundancy of work due to a mergers and acquisitions.

The Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA) was passed over 40 years ago (in 1967) prohibiting the denial of employment, forced retirement, hours of employment, compensation, or termination of individuals due to the person's age, and it was meant to encourage the employment of older individuals based on their abilities and invaluable experience. However, age discrimination and ageism still permeate American society and the workplace.”(Tate)

Age discrimination has some special aspects that make it different from other types of employment discrimination. My research will discuss this more in detail. Included will be several court decisions of great importance, the history of the Age Discrimination Statute, and other important data in regards to Age discrimination. Also there is information included on how to file a complaint with the

Simply enough, age discrimination is when someone is treated less favorably due to their age. In 1967, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act was put into place. It protects

Age discrimination is one of the top reasons employees are laid off. There are so many different reasons why age would play a factor in losing your job. For example, this is especially common in newer hotels and workplaces that want to attract a younger crowd, so therefore they want younger people working for them to bring in their specific clientele. How would you feel if you got laid off because of your age? Putting yourself in the employers’ shoes, would you understand why they are doing so, or would you fight against it? Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to age discrimination in the workplace, and in all actuality there really isn’t a right or wrong answer, it is just a matter of personal preference. One thing to take into account when asking this question is the age of the person you are asking. Of course there will be completely different answers if you ask someone who is in their 20’s or early 30’s then if you ask someone who is 50 plus.

Age discrimination is mainly toward the older (60 +) and younger (14-17) people in their early teens. Many Americans have been fired, forced into retirement, or turned down from a job due to their age. Older age employers are discriminated against in the workplace because of appearance and their ability to do the work required is believed to slow. Employers are more likely to hire a person who is much younger and more attractive than an elderly person. Also, employers want to employ people who are able to do the work required. This is another way in which older people are discriminated against even though they may be very capable to do the job. “The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs and activities

A vital labor and employment law is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, also known as the ADEA. The law was enacted in 1967 and later amended. On the Unites States EEOC website, they write, “ADEA protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age.” (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008) The law is meant to safeguard workers from being discriminated against due to their age. The law is especially important now with workers staying on the job longer and retirees returning to the workforce after retirement. The EEOC states, “The law applies to employers with 20 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and labor organizations, as well as to the federal government.” (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008) Age discrimination can come in many forms in the business world. First, employment advertisements brings the attention of work seeking people. An employer can use certain words in their employment advertisements that can keep older workers from applying to the job, as an example: young, recent college graduate, youthful, and etc. An employer using these words can open them to discrimination lawsuits. Similarly, in an article from the Seattle Times which list five of the biggest legal missteps Human Resources can make, they write, “The hiring process: Mistakes in this area often start right at the beginning, with discriminatory