How rampant is age descrimination?
Between 1997 and 2018, about 423,000 U.S. workers filed age discrimination lawsuits with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, making up 22% of all workplace discrimination claims.
More than 21% of employees over 40 have faced age discrimination, and 36% feel their age has prevented them from acquiring a job since they turned 40.
More men than women think that their age has been a factor in finding a new career or advancing their job.
Nearly 1 in 4 employees above 45 have been subjected to hostile remarks about their age from their bosses or coworkers. Also, 3 in 5 older workers have experienced age discrimination in the workplace.
One study discovered that older adults were brought in for interviews similar to younger applicants when filling out online applications.
However, after a face-to-face interview, the more senior candidates were offered jobs 40% lower than younger candidates with equal skills. About half of full-time employees above the age of 50 will lose their jobs involuntarily. Discrimination against older workers cost the U.S. economy an estimated $850 billion in the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018.
Approximately 25% of all American senior employees and workers have experienced adverse effects or side effects of age discrimination. Studies by the AARP reveal a heartbreaking truth: more than half a century after President Johnson passed the ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act,) seniors still feel the shadow of age discrimination. Almost all older employees don’t view age discrimination as something uncanny or odd, and most of them have dealt blows with this harmful social dilemma personally.
More than 1.1 million people aged 55 to 70 will leave the workforce over the summer of 2021. The reason is something called ageism. Many seniors face stereotypes about productivity, lack of flexibility to change, lack of motivation, lack of innovation, absenteeism, and lack of cooperation.
While older people are more knowledgeable and experienced than younger people, they find it difficult to find a job. Industries reported with the most rampant age discrimination are business and finance, technology, marketing and advertisement, hospitality, retail, health care, and energy.
Age discrimination is not equally rampant in every area. It depends on the topic or, if we were to discuss job opportunities, the industry you want to apply for. Society-wise, it’s better to surround yourself with people who don’t treat you differently because of your age. For instance, if you like going to the gym, try out different places until you find the most welcoming environment. When it comes to finding a job, things get more complicated. If a company needs a consultant, you’re more likely to get hired.
In contrast, only 11. 1% of companies in the tech industry would hire people over 33 (The median age in other industries is 42.3). The same situation is applied in the business and finance industry. Older professionals in this industry claim that people don’t take them seriously due to their age. Most recruiters in this area believe some people are “too elderly to learn new things.
Another industry where ageism is rampant is marketing. Even though older people have higher spending power, they only appear in around 15% of advertisements. And when they do, they’re usually shown as unproductive people living at home. The median age in this industry is 40, which is relatively low.
Another example is the healthcare industry. In South Peninsula Hospital, five above 50 highly qualified nurses were fired simultaneously. They claimed the hospital was looking for young, inexperienced staff to reduce expenses. The only suggestion I have for senior workers is to prove the ageist people wrong. You can’t change that some companies prefer younger people because they’re cheaper to hire. However, you can try not to lose a job opportunity by doing twice as well as your co-workers. This way, you demonstrate that your age doesn’t define your productiveness.
