As you age, you may have concerns about discrimination at work. This is particularly true if your employer has shown the tendency to hire younger workers for your position in the not-too-distant past.
While there are many potential signs of age discrimination, these three are among the most common:
- Older workers are being terminated or offered buyouts: This is a telltale sign that your company wants to move toward a younger workforce. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the victim of age discrimination, but it could happen.
- You’re hearing grumblings about your age: For example, your supervisor may slyly ask you when you’re going to retire. Or a younger co-worker says something to you about not being able to keep up because of your age. These grumblings may be a sign that people are talking about your age when you’re not around.
- Bad performance reviews: In the past, you always received positive performance reviews. However, now that you’re aging, your reviews are tanking, even though your performance has remained the same. Keep a close eye on anything that makes it look like you’ve suddenly become a subpar employee.
If you feel that you’re a victim of age discrimination at work, begin to collect evidence to back up your claim. Also, take detailed notes of how you’re being treated, as this can come in handy in the future.
If you’re unable to work things out with your employer, learn more about your legal rights for taking action. It may be the best way to receive compensation for the discrimination.