Common Signs of Age Discrimination

The following are some signs that may indicate unlawful age discrimination:

  • Ageist comments. This type of smoking gun evidence of discrimination is pretty rare, except in fiction and movies. If your boss asks about your retirement plans, calls you “old timer” or “grandma,” says the company wants a younger image, or says that your best days are behind you, that is direct evidence of discrimination, If this happens to you, document the comments in writing to your company, noting the date and time of the incident, and the names of all those people present, including witnesses.
  • Compare your conditions of employment to younger employees. Are younger employees being treated better than you under the same circumstances?  If so, this may be evidence of age discrimination. Are older employees being laid off more than younger employees? If so, , start writing down their names, along with the names of younger, less-qualified employees who were not terminated.
  • Promotions, favoritism, and unfair discipline. If you’re more qualified than a younger employee, but he’s chosen over you for a promotion that you applied for, or, if younger employees are given the best leads, assignments, and equipment, or, if you’re disciplined for something that younger employees get away with, each of these scenarios could be signs of age discrimination.
  • The foregoing are only some signs that may indicate the presence of age discrimination in the workplace; other or additional conduct may also be present.
  • To learn more about whether you may be experiencing age discrimination which may be actionable, please contact our firm. In order to fully preserve your rights, please call us at your earliest convenience.