As you age, interactions with co-workers and management may shift and you could find yourself the increasing butt of age-related jokes and comments. This scenario is more likely if you find yourself working with a group of young people who do not share your worldview or values, which can make your job difficult.
The American Association of Retired Persons notes that two out of three employed persons over the age of 40 experienced some form of age discrimination at the workplace or during the hiring process. You can protect yourself by learning about your rights concerning this issue, which may rear its head sooner than you think.
Laws protect you at every stage of employment
You may believe that age discrimination only happens during the hiring phase or if you happen to work with mostly younger people; however, it may also occur during times of work stoppage and affect those who earn bonuses for their productivity. Discrimination laws protect you from such actions.
Your employer cannot force you to retire
While some careers require a sharp mind and reflexes to ensure public safety, under age discrimination laws, your employer cannot demand that you retire. For most industries, employers cannot institute a mandatory retirement age cap.
New laws may soon emerge
Some states support the prevention of age discrimination by preventing age-related questions on applications or during interviews. While not all states enforce this, current legislation may push for more stringent guidelines for all states in the future.
Discussing age discrimination at work and making your employer and co-workers aware of the harm it can do may help reduce ignorance of the laws that protect you.