If you’ve diligently worked for your employer for years, you’d hope they’ll treat you as one of their most valuable employees. And most employers do exactly this. However, it’s not uncommon for some employers to treat employees unfairly based on their age.
If you believe your employer is discriminating against you based on your age, you may hold them to account by filing a workplace discrimination lawsuit against them. But what exactly is age discrimination and how does it happen?
Understanding age discrimination in the workplace
Age discrimination, or ageism, happens when an employer or a job applicant is treated less favorably than their colleagues or other applicants on account of their age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) provides specific protections for individuals over the age of 40.
Spotting the signs of age discrimination at work
To hold your employer to account for age discrimination, you need evidence. And this underpins the importance of identifying the signs of age discrimination. Here are two signs you need to look out for is you suspect age discrimination at work:
The perpetrator’s choice of words
Pretty much every organization wants a fresh perspective to work. However, if your employer is constantly making statements like, “You are no longer young and vibrant like you used to be” or “Your skills seem to be outdated for this role,” then these could be indicative of age discrimination.
A pattern of preferential treatment
Your employer has the discretion to assign roles as they deem fit for the business. However, if you are constantly being overlooked or turned down for assignments in favor of younger team members, then you need to be concerned. You could be a victim of ageism at work.
Ageism is a serious problem in some workplaces. If you suspect that your employer is treating you unfairly because of your age, you deserve justice.
