Although the Age Discrimination in Employment Act has been around for about five decades, employers in Texas and around the country still appear to be discriminating against older potential employees. The act makes it illegal for organizations to not hire someone who is 40 years or older on the basis of their age. However, some economists found that many employers may be screening applicants on the basis of age.
A professor of economics at the University of California, Irvine, along with two other economists, sent out 40,000 resumes for thousands of real jobs. For each position being applied for, the resume was identical except for the age of the applicant. The economists found that people who were middle aged were less likely to be called back for an interview than younger candidates.
According to the economists, the contact rate dropped even further for older individuals who were around 65 years old. It is against the law to blatantly discriminate on the basis of age. Employers cannot list a job posting and say that the organization won’t hire individuals who are 40 or older. However, many employers filter based on age and call it something else.
Employment discrimination isn’t just limited to age or hiring practices. There are a variety of types of discrimination that are legally prohibited, including discrimination on the basis of race, religion or gender. Additionally, employers are not allowed to discriminate when making decisions about raises, promotions or terminations, and they are also barred from retaliating against people who report discrimination. People who believe that they have been the victims of this type of behavior may want to discuss their situation with an attorney.