Age discrimination top concern among people looking for jobs

On Behalf of | Jul 7, 2017 | Age Discrimination

Older New York residents have their work cut out for them when they seek employment. A survey of job seekers conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons identified age discrimination as their top concern by a wide margin. According to survey results, 51 percent of respondents 50 years of age and older expressed worry about age limiting their ability to land a job. Unemployment came in second but not close at 25 percent.

Over the last 15 years, multiple studies have confirmed the presence of age discrimination. Over 60 percent of employees at or over age 50 admit to witnessing or experiencing employment discrimination based on age. The president of a recruiting company said that companies want older workers to retire so that they can hire younger workers. Companies consider older workers expensive and overqualified. The pool of 89 million young people from the Millennial generation creates substantial competition for older employees.

To help older people land a job interview, a career trends analyst advises them to limit how many years they reveal on a resume. He recommends that a resume not exceed two pages or show work experience beyond the previous 10 years. People also should not mention the years that they graduated from school.

When discrimination based on age prevents a person from getting hired, receiving training or keeping a job, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act might provide legal recourse. An attorney could evaluate the experience of the client and prepare a lawsuit. To build the case, an attorney could organize documentation of hiring practices, payroll records, and internal company correspondence about employee evaluations or reasons for termination.

FindLaw Network