When we first meet people, three main things come to our attention immediately which are gender, race and age. While racism and sexism can be more noticeable, ageism is more subtle and happens more than we like and think.
What is ageism?
First of, we should know that ageism does not refer to people older in age but also to younger people who join the workforce. As a matter of fact, according to Workplace Fairness, a lot of younger people and teens are not treated fairly in the workplace as they are considered reckless and inexperienced and in turn have lower wages than their colleagues of older ages. In short, ageism is discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age.
Older people in the workplace are stereotyped to be “slower, less hearing, to have memory issues and less energy, be less able-bodied as younger employees”, and as called, these are only stereotypes. Letting go of people which are older in age might not be a huge deal for the employer, people over the age of 40 and 45 will have a much harder time to find another job rather than younger employees, which can be a huge issue of survival for a lot of people.
How does age discrimination lawsuit in the workplace look like and how to deal with it?
Although we might not notice any issues at first, discrimination due to age in the workplace can look like this:
- You are being left out from important meetings with the staff and clients.
- You are passed on for learning opportunities; trainings and certifications provided by the company are now strictly going to much younger employees
- You are not assigned anything challenging or of importance to do
- Comments and jokes about age and stereotypes mentioned above
- No future for promotions or raises no matter the success in the workplace
Because of these issues, a lof of countries around the world have laws and amendments against dicrimination regarding age, and in the US, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) was created to protect employees and possible workers who are over the age of 40 years against discrimination in the workplace based on age. This act includes hiring, dismissal, work assignments and promotion, but it is worth mentioning that this act does not include small businesses, as businesses with fewer than 20 employees are exempt from the ADEA.
So, how to deal with it? First, we advise you to make complaints to the superiors and HR department. You should always know that the law is on your side and the government protects workers against discrimination. If no action is taken, you can always consult some of our discrimination lawyers with experience in these fields and you can file a report or complaint to EEOC, and we can help you and guide you through the process.
L & D Law P.C. employment discrimination lawyers in New York
It is tough to cope with a situation of employment discrimination since it causes stress and anxiety. That said, a skilled employment lawyer will walk you through the process by laying out all pros and cons of your complaint as well as the most beneficial courses of action that bring successful outcomes. As a result, hiring a lawyer when filing an employment discrimination lawsuit is a crucial step in reaching justice for all the damage that you incurred.
At L & D Law P.C., we take pride in our skilled and experienced staff members who are determined to work passionately and empathically to preserve your claims. Employment attorneys at L & D Law P.C. believe that employees deserve a safe working environment that provides fair treatment and compensation. We offer exceptional legal services with a focus on employment discrimination cases, including, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation.
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If you are seeking aggressive representation, contact us today for a free consultation by calling 212-374-9786 or emailing at info@discriminationlawyertoday.com.
Sources:
- https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/signs-of-ageism-in-the-workplace
- https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/fact-sheet-age-discrimination
- https://www.who.int/ageing/features/workplace-ageism/en/
- https://hbr.org/2020/11/gg-ascend-pub-11-11-how-old-is-old-enough
- https://www.workplacefairness.org/age-discrimination