Finding work is hard enough without having to deal with illegal discrimination, but for certain groups of job seekers, illegal discrimination may be something they are dealing with even when it isn’t obvious. Take, for example, the findings of a recent study regarding age discrimination. The study looked specifically at whether it is more difficult for older workers to find jobs in the current job market.
What the researchers found was that employers engaged in callbacks at a much higher rate for younger groups of applicants when compared to older groups, regardless of the type of work the applicants were seeking. In addition, the research found that older women received the fewest callbacks on resumes. The conclusion of the research, then, is that it is more difficult for older females to obtain work, though this finding is at odds with other studies showing that older men have a harder time.
Whatever the case may be with the research, age and sex discrimination are illegal. At the federal level, sex or gender discrimination is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, while age discrimination is prohibited, though only to a limited extent, under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Those who believe they have been subjected to discriminatory treatment at work on the basis of sex or age should consult with an experienced attorney to see whether it may be desirable to pursue legal action at either the state or federal level.
Part of what needs to be done when consulting an attorney is to look at the facts of the case and determine whether there is evidence of discrimination. Discrimination can sometimes be direct and obvious, but more often than not it is more subtle. In some cases, discrimination is the result of a neutral employment policy which has a disproportionate negative impact on employees based on sex or age.
We’ll continue looking at this issue in our next post.