Age Discrimination in the Workforce is Rampant

Age discrimination in the workforce is rampant. If you have been laid off in your 50's or 60's finding a new job can feel impossible. Human Resources spin the skills gap stories, but the biggest reason for older people not getting hired is plain and simple, they are not in their 20's anymore.

The workforce participation rate which measures unemployment more accurately than the unemployment rate has not been this low since 1977 as the economy was coming off the worst recession since World War II.  For the past three years the participation rate has been stuck at 62.7% according to the Bureau of Labor web site. Unemployment was high and jobs were just coming back in 1977. We are currently in low unemployment with rates in the 5% range.

So why are so many workers in their prime years not working? Millions of jobs were lost in 2008 when the U.S. economy hit the worst recession since the Great Depression. Most of those jobs did not come back. Technology advances were suppose to increase productivity and wages of workers, but in many cases automation filled jobs and rehiring did not take place. Automation and robots are eliminating the need to have so many workers. This is especially true in manufacturing where repeated tasks can often be done by machines. In addition, the unemployment rate is low while the participation rate is high because millions are no longer counted as unemployed. They don't collect benefits and they have given up looking for work. They don't count as unemployed.

New job creation numbers have been excellent over the last few years. Older workers did not fare well in landing new jobs. Millions of healthy, educated and experienced older workers would like to be working and are being discriminated against. It's alway subtle of course, but it is age discrimination. Ageism is the new popular word for thanks for applying, but you are not an exact match to the job description. How many thousands and thousands receive these thanks, but no thanks emails sent by automation weekly? Depressing numbers no doubt.

Every day older workers are pushed out the door in favor of younger employees. It starts with job responsiblities being taken away, not being included in important meetings and years of service being rewarded with assignments nobody else wants. More directly,  employers go out of their way to make them miserable so they will quit or retire early. Being pushed out the door is very rough for workers in their 50's, and workers in their 60's are forced to take Social Security early when they would much rather wait until they are older when their benefits are higher. These workers are getting screwed in the workplace and then screwed when they have to collect benefits early because of finances.

Older workers are reliable and productive and being employed gives them purpose. Current Human Resource practices which encourage age discrimination has destroyed the financial and mental lives of millions. The next time you read a story by any corporation having recruiting issues because of a lack of qualified applicants, I encourage you to have no empathy. Corporations and organizations of all sizes have created these shortages on their own. They have tossed employees who were often their most dedicated and hardworking like garbage from a holiday party. If recruitment becomes a serious issue these same employers should remember what goes around comes around. Hopefully, most seniors who have been pushed out the door will eventually be able to laugh at how stupidly they were treated and realize they are now in a better place.

Those practicing ageism should remember some day soon you will be that older person.