Age Discrimination at Work
Ageism is a growing problem in the United States, as more individuals have to work until they reach an older age they may encounter age discrimination at work.
Companies tend to break the law and blatantly discriminate against older employees for many reasons. The most popular one being that they are too expensive to have working there.
The Problem of Age Discrimination at Work
Recognizing that age discrimination is important and happens to be the first step in the right direction to fight this injustice. There are steps that you should take after you realize that this situation is happening to you.If you believe that you are a target of this sort of discrimination, which is a serious matter, you could implement the procedures described below. You should follow these suggestions below in an attempt to cure your employer of this law-breaking behavior, and receive the equal treatment that you deserve.
Career Help Center
Stand Up Against Age Discrimination at Work
Age discrimination is illegal and there are cases of it all over the country every day. You have to be certain that what is happening to you is age discrimination and not some other, legitimate issue. Do you feel that you have been a target? If you have a history of being late or unproductive in the office, your problems may stem from that, not from your age.- Keep a Record
In your workplace, when incidents occur that make you feel as though you have been discriminated against because of your age, write them down immediately. Record who was involved, what they did or said, the date and time, describe the situation.
If you have recurring incidents, keeping a log of each event will keep the details from becoming confused. If you end up building a legal case, the log will provide you with documented evidence against your workplace. - Accumulate Documentation
Get your hands on all the official documentation that consists of new hires and layoffs that have taken place recently within the company. If all the new hires are young individuals, and all those laid off are old individuals, then you have more solid evidence for your case against the company. - Keep Evidence Safe
Keep all of the recorded incidents and documentation that you have compiled against the company in a safe place. After all, that is your only chance to defend yourself if the company is truly practicing ageism.
Keep all the documentation and other paperwork out of the workplace. Even if you have a drawer at work that can be locked, it is a bad idea to keep evidence that you have worked hard to obtain in a place that isn't secure. - Be On Your Best Behavior
Don't give your employers any excuse to fire you or discipline you, especially if you think you are the target of this crime. Follow every instruction you are given and don't complain about any aspect of the job. If you fear them coming back to you with a bogus charge, then document your work along with everything you were told to do. - Report It!
The best thing you can do at this point is to report this company to the proper authorities. File a report of Age Discrimination to either the Human Resources department, or the governmental department (EEOC) that deals with these types of claims.
If the worst case scenario plays out, then you could sue the company for discrimination to keep your position, or if you leave, to potentially get a settlement. - Make Haste
Don't wait to file a claim if you feel there has been a true case of age discrimination at your workplace. The longer you wait, the less effective your claim can be, when you provide solid evidence, it makes the suit that much more effective.