The more years you have dedicated to a specific career, the more you may be able to earn. Most employers recognize the value of experienced help and offer better compensation and more rewarding positions to those with more skills.
Unfortunately, experienced workers do not always receive the respect and opportunities that they deserve. Instead, they might wind up facing discrimination because of their age. Age discrimination remains one of the most common and insidious forms of workplace discrimination that might limit what opportunities workers have.
What constitutes age discrimination?
There are certain protected characteristics that employers should not consider when making decisions about employment. Matters related to hiring, firing, promoting or compensating workers are all decisions that should be made from someone’s capabilities and work performance, not their protected characteristics.
Employees should not discriminate against you based on your age if you are over the age of 40. Age discrimination involves an employer using your age as a reason to deny you opportunities.
Age discrimination is often subtle
Your boss probably will not come right out and tell you that your age is what kept them from giving you the promotion. However, if they consistently pass you over in favor of less-skilled workers half of your age, you will probably notice the pattern.
Jokes at your expense, comments about retirement or assumptions about your technology skills are all warning signs that age discrimination may play a role in your career stagnation or a recent termination. Recognizing the signs of age discrimination at work is often one of the first steps toward fighting back against it.
