Despite changing views and societal developments, ageism continues to be an issue in the workplace. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 64 percent of employees have experienced or witnessed age discrimination at some point. Therefore, being aware of the seven signs of age discrimination in the workplace can help employees combat this persisting problem. If you have experienced workplace discrimination of any type, consider contacting a seasoned Georgia discrimination lawyer from Hall & Lampros, LLP, by calling (404) 876-8100 to schedule a consultation.
What Are the Main Types of Discrimination?
Discrimination can come from anyone and in many different forms, but there are generally eight main types of workplace discrimination. In no particular order, they are:
- Race discrimination — Discrimination against race occurs when employers decide not to hire, mentor, or promote employees based on their race or when employees receive unfair scrutiny or dismissals due to their ethnicity
- Disability discrimination — This common type of discrimination occurs when employers fail to accommodate individuals with disabilities, implement unfair policies that negatively impact disabled employees, and instigate or encourage hostility toward disabled workers
- Pregnancy discrimination — Discriminating against new or expecting mothers in the workplace includes refusing to hire pregnant women or even women who plan to have children and disciplining or terminating pregnant women based solely on their decision to have children
- Parental status discrimination — Similar to pregnancy discrimination, parental discrimination often relates to prejudices based on gender assumptions and can result in parents not being included in professional activities, being considered for promotions, or being given a position with the pay they have otherwise earned.
- Gender discrimination — Discriminating against a person’s gender is apparent when individuals receive different treatment or compensation in the workplace based on their gender
- Age discrimination — Ageism in the workplace involves creating biases and stereotypes based on a person’s age, resulting in younger or older employees or candidates receiving different treatment than those in other age groups during any employment stage, including hiring, assigning work, dismissing, or determining wage increases.
- Religious discrimination — Discriminating on the basis of a person’s religion usually involves harassment in the workplace because of the person’s beliefs and religious practices or consequences for taking leave for religious holidays
- Sexual orientation discrimination — Discriminating against individuals because of differing gender identities or sexual orientation can result in workplace bullying
7 Signs of Workplace Age Discrimination
According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects those over age 40 from discrimination based on their age. However, this type of discrimination can happen to workers of various ages, and a Georgia age discrimination attorney from Hall & Lampros, LLP, may be able to help. Below are seven signs of age discrimination in the workplace:
- Coded comments — If company leaders use terms like “young blood,” “fresh perspective,” or even “experienced,” this might suggest discriminatory views against younger or older employees across the organization
- Different treatment — If one age group of employees receives different training and career enhancement opportunities, this may indicate ageism.
- Pervasive language — When employees use words and terms related to an individual’s age designed to provoke a reaction, this is a sign of age discrimination
- Ageist assumptions — If an organization’s employees say that older staff members lack an understanding of social media and technology or that younger members lack a strong work ethic, this may suggest discriminatory views
- Social segregation — If social groups within an organization only include individuals from certain age groups, the organization may have a culture of age discrimination
- Age-related layoffs — If an employer only lays off or dismisses older employees when positions become obsolete, this oftentimes indicates age discrimination
- Creative excuses — Employers with an ageist culture tend to use creative excuses when an older worker is denied a promotion for narrowly missing targets but a younger worker receives the promotion despite significantly coming short of the same targets
What Are Ageist Comments at Work?
Ageist comments at work include coded remarks and comments disguised as jokes. All types of ageist comments in the workplace can have a demoralizing impact on staff and are usually a sign of bias problems within the organization. These comments may come from coworkers, clients, supervisors, or hiring managers.
These comments can relate to many different topics and can be directed to younger or older workers. Some examples of ageist comments in the workplace, depending on how they are used, can include the following:
- “I think you have too much experience for this position.”
- “So, when are you planning to retire?”
- “Because of your accomplishments, I do not think you will enjoy this role.”
- “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.”
- “You are doing well for your age.”
- “I can’t believe you are that old/young!”
- “Looks like a senior moment.”
Contact an Atlanta Age Discrimination Attorney Today
Despite laws prohibiting age discrimination in the workplace, this problem still occurs due to the prevalence of generation gaps and age stereotypes. Prevention requires employers to implement fair recruitment processes, introduce discrimination policies to protect employees, and enable staff members to experience career progression regardless of their age. To learn more about the signs of age discrimination in the workplace, consider contacting a skilled Atlanta age discrimination attorney from Hall & Lampros, LLP, by calling (404) 876-8100 to schedule a consultation today.
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