PREFACE
Ageism in the workforce has been a major issue in workplaces across the globe, and it must be stopped. Here is an overview of this problem that has become increasingly pressing in a constantly digitized world.
WHAT IS AGEISM?
Ageism is the discrimination of an individual based on their age. In workforces, it can lead to fellow workers discriminating an elder worker. The average retirement age in the US is around 66, and according to the organization Built In, "10% of people aged 65-69 are employed". Seniors have so much experience, valuable skills, and wisdom to share with others and bring to the job, but nonetheless, they may feel outed or not valued in their workplaces. However, ageism does not only impact seniors who are working past the average retirement age. The organization SHRM states that "56 percent of workers over age 50 report that they were pushed out of their jobs... before they were ready to retire". In an increasingly fast-paced, changing, and constantly digitized modern world, older workers are treated unfairly.
As time goes on, there will be more and more elderly in the workforces, and this is consistent with the given statistics. SHRM goes on further to state that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the U.S. labor force will, by 2024, grow to include "13 million are expect to be ages 65 or older". The organization Fast Company adds on by declaring that the implications of the Bureau of Labor Statistics includes that "those over 55 will comprise a quarter of the American workforce in less than five years". It is absolutely critical to take measures against ageism, as it negatively impacts our seniors, more of whom are prospected to be in the workforces.
MEASURES AGAINST AGEISM
Perhaps one of the primary legislative measures against ageism so far was the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states that the purpose is "to prohibit age discrimination in employment", as the name suggests. In Sec. 621 in the Congressional Statement of Findings and Purpose, it is brought to attention that "older workers find themselves disadvantaged in their efforts to retain employment, and especially to regain employment when displaced from jobs". Through taking legislative action to support elderly in workplaces, this act empowers our aging population. Upon the establishment of this act in 1967, tens of thousands of complaints have been filed against companies that display age bias.
This act has become the grounds of enabling older workers to speak out about perceived injustices, and in particular, women have been statistically shown to file lawsuits against ageist workforces than men. Continuing on, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 reinforced the prohibition of "discrimination on the basis of age in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance", as described by the U.S. Department of Labor. More acts followed, including the Workforce Investment Act of 1988, which has a section (188) specifying that the activities/programs detailed in the Workforce Investment Act shall not discriminate on the basis of age.
THANK YOU FOR READING
As always, I have listed the sources I referenced for this article as well as some more resources that you can visit for more information, so if you would like to learn more about ageism in workplaces, make sure to check them out. If you have any questions about my article, this topic in general, or would like to share some comments, feel free to reach out to info.elderlyembrace@gmail.com, and we can have a conversation about this. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Sources I referenced for this article:
For more information, visit: https://oxfordre.com/socialwork/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-844