Discrimination due to age is one of the great tragedies of modern life. The desire to work and be useful is what makes life worth living, and to be told your efforts are not needed because you are the wrong age is a crime.
- Johnny Ball, from BrainyQuote
- Johnny Ball, from BrainyQuote
Age Discrimination
![Picture](/uploads/1/5/9/4/15948932/9583078.jpg?217)
Discrimination is unfair and unequal treatment of a person because of their race, religion, gender, age, or other attribute. It often stems from stereotypes, which are false assumptions about a group of people. Age discrimination cases aren't as common anymore because of actions taken by the government to prevent the practice, but they still happen every so often. Although age discrimination was not as famous as discrimination events such as the Civil Rights Movement or Women’s Suffrage, it still was and is a very serious issue.
In most age discrimination instances, the people being discriminated against are
older than 40. They are discriminated against because some people think that
older people can not do the same things as younger people. Age discrimination did
not start happening until the early 1900's when people started to live longer.
It especially increased when American industry started picking up, because age
discrimination often happens in the workplace.
older than 40. They are discriminated against because some people think that
older people can not do the same things as younger people. Age discrimination did
not start happening until the early 1900's when people started to live longer.
It especially increased when American industry started picking up, because age
discrimination often happens in the workplace.
In the 1950's and 60's, age discrimination in the workplace started to become a real problem. Companies would often fire employees because they were "too old,"
or would hire younger people instead older people even if the older person was more qualified. To combat age discrimination in the workplace, the United States passed the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. The law said that if an older person has issues keeping their employment or getting a job, if an older person is not favored for a job because of his/her age, or if older people are fired more than younger people because they are being judged more harshly on their performance, then this is age discrimination in the workplace. The purpose of this law is to promote people being employed because of their abilities, not because of their age. |
There was recently an incident of age discrimination in Hollywood, CA. TV writers over 40 were fired because the networks and studios they worked at thought that they should hire younger, more "hip" people to write their shows in order to try to capture younger audiences. The writers (a group
of thousands) sued the TV studios and received about $70 million for their claims. |
However, age discrimination does not always happen in the workplace. In many states, there are strict regulations for older drivers. They have to get their licenses renewed more often and also have to take more vision tests. Although this may seem like a good idea in order to keep people safe on the roads, it is also and example of age discrimination because even though a driver is old, he or she could be very experienced and be a much better driver than a younger person such as a high-schooler or college student.
|
To protest age discrimination, a group of elderly people created an organization to help protect the rights of older people, and also to push for increases in Social Security payments, a national health care plan, and other things that would help citizens of older age. This group is known as the Gray Panthers. Aside from the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the government also has rules about age discrimination. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." |
Age discrimination does still happen today, but not as much as it used to. Although it is hard to prove, companies try very hard to avoid age discrimination in the workplace to prevent lawsuits. It does happen every once in a while, though. Hopefully one day we can live in country where everyone is completely free from age discrimination.