Is Age Discrimination on the Decline

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Is Age Discrimination on the Decline?

• Andrea Wegner
• Econ 1902
• 12/9/04

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Age Discrimination/Ageism

• Ageism any prejudice or discrimination against
  or in favor of an age group
• Age Discrimination occurs when ageism is
  applied upon an older person where rights and
  privileges are denied solely on the basis of age

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Old and Overqualified A Problem for Employers

• Hire younger employees
• Health coverage
• Biochemists and engineers are among those who are
  fired

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Forced Retirement

• No longer legal in the United States
• However, companies may offer pensions and benefit
  plans that are most beneficial when an employee
  retires earlier rather than later
• Union employees are more than twice as likely to
  face mandatory retirement as nonunion

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The Technology Gap

• Many companies will be leery of hiring an aged
  employee over a younger employee because,
  especially for people over 50, computers and the
  Internet were not significantly part of their
  education and training
• Possible feedback effect

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Age and Women No One Looks Young Forever

• of all the anchor people over 40, 97 were male
  and the remaining 3 were females who didnt look
  their age. (Diamont and Lee)
• Walter Cronkite vs. Leslie Stahl
• Lack of legal success
• Case of former Kansas City anchorwoman

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Somewhat Helpful Organizations

• AARP (American Association of Retired Persons)
• Largest lobbying group today
• Does not take action, just gives advice
• EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
• Enforces U.S. Age Discrimination in Employment
  Act of 1967
• Criticized for lack of current statistics and
  weakness in taking legal action

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State Interpretation of the Law

• According to the Age Discrimination in Employment
  Act, employers with 20 or more employees may not
  discriminate against workers age 40 and older in
  recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, pay,
  benefits, firing, layoffs, retirement, and any
  other aspect of employment because of age.
• Utah-the minimum number is 15, but an estimated
  76 to 87 of employers in Utah employed less
  than 15 people in 2001

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Lack of Success Judicially

• 17,000 cases a year are filed to the EEOC
  claiming age discrimination, but only a few
  strategically targeted cases are answered
• Larger groups of employees or applicants are more
  successful winning cases
• Goodyear Rubber Plant

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The Future Looks Bright

• Trend of age discrimination expected to DECREASE

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Increasing Aged Population

• The baby boomers are getting older

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Labor Force Participation Rates

• The Labor Force Participation Rate is decreasing
  for younger people, allowing older members in
  society to become a vital resource for employment
  in the U.S.

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