In the workplace, you could face discrimination for different reasons. From racial discrimination to mistreatment on the basis of one’s religious beliefs, unlawful mistreatment affects far too many workers. In fact, some people experience illegal discrimination while trying to land a job.
If you have concerns about your age and how it could affect your ability to secure a job, you need to have a thorough understanding of your legal rights and take action if you believe that you experienced discrimination firsthand.
Discrimination and job applicants
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the law prohibits age discrimination in all facets of employment, including the hiring process. Age discrimination laws protect workers and applicants who are 40 and older. Job applicants experience age discrimination in various ways, whether they notice discriminatory language in a job advertisement that prevents them from applying or they realize that age discrimination was the reason why a prospective employer decided not to hire them due to remarks during an interview.
The impact of age discrimination on job applicants
As a job applicant, age discrimination can lead to feelings of hopelessness. Some people face serious financial challenges while looking for a job, and discrimination can traumatize some people in this position, even though their background fully qualifies them to exceed expectations and perform their job duties well.
Unfortunately, some victims of discrimination remain silent because they worry about retaliation, while others do not even recognize their legal rights in the first place. If you have dealt with any form of discrimination as an employee or job applicant, stand up for yourself.