As people get older, they may think their knowledge and practical experience make them an excellent employee. However, getting older may cause people to face discrimination in their workplace. It is important for people to recognize the signs of age discrimination.
Many people might think that age discrimination occurs any time someone mentions age. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, references to age are not the same thing as ageism. A co-worker might tease someone by saying “Old man” but this comment is not necessarily discrimination. Instead, age discrimination usually results in an adverse work environment.
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Sometimes job duties may indicate that a person is experiencing age discrimination. The American Association of Retired Persons says that some employers may reassign job duties if they want older employees to quit. If people are over-qualified for new and undesirable job duties, this may be a sign that they are experiencing ageism. Changes in a performance review may also indicate this prejudice. People may start getting lower reviews while their job performance remains the same. This can demonstrate that employers are trying to move older employees out of the office.
When people experience age discrimination at work, they may stop getting raises. However, it is important for people to remember that the lack of a raise does not automatically indicate ageism. Sometimes people may have reached the pinnacle of a company’s pay scale. Instead, age discrimination might occur if an older employee does not receive a raise while a young employee receives one for doing the same task. Additionally, hiring practices may be a sign of ageism. Sometimes a company might hire young staff members and offer severance packages to older employees. This situation can indicate that a company is discriminating against older workers.
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