Some older workers in the Houston area may be among the more than 60 percent of workers that the AARP says face age discrimination. A number of myths persist about older workers being inferior to younger ones, and even though these are not true, workers may still struggle to find jobs after a certain age.
However, there are things older workers can do such as ensuring that their appearance and dress remain contemporary and polished. They can also turn to their extensive network that is probably larger than the network of younger workers. Opportunities to consult, speak or lead workshops can result in full-time employment. Another option for older workers might be starting their own businesses.
The use of machines to read forms may cause problems for workers who would prefer to leave some dates off of their job and education history. If these fields are not filled in, machines might reject the application. However, one administrative manager suggests putting the number “9999” in those fields the worker would prefer not to add a date to so that the application passes through the machine without issue.
In addition to age, there are several other protected classes in employment law. These include race, disability, religion and national origin. People who believe they are facing discrimination at work might want to make a note of incidents to build a record of that discrimination. They may also want to see an attorney about how they might best proceed. An employer is not supposed to retaliate against an employee for alleging discrimination as one of the protected classes. Retaliation may come in the form of more harassment, demotion or termination. In some cases, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may become involved in a lawsuit on behalf of the worker.
