How to Avoid Age Discrimination

Avoid age discrimination in the workplace.

Age discrimination in the workplace is not only bad for the reputation of your business, it is against the law. Workers 40 and older cannot be treated differently solely based on their age. If an employee is dismissed and thinks that it may be due to age discrimination, your company may be facing a lawsuit, legal fees and even a fine from the court.

Instructions

1. Place a copy of the state and federal age discrimination laws in a visible place at work. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will provide you with a copy of these laws that can be displayed. Ensure everyone in the office understands these laws and how they can affect your business.

2. Avoid asking for the date of birth on job applications. Instead, you can ask if the applicant is over the minimum age for legal employment.

3. Hire an equal number of older and younger workers. If your workplace is severely skewed toward younger workers, you may find yourself in a lawsuit filed by a potential employee.

4. Advertise job openings in places such as the newspaper and on television. Avoid only placing job openings where it is likely that only younger applicants may see them, such as youth-oriented social networking sites. If your job openings are viewed by a variety of applicants, you are likely to have more eligible applicants of all ages.

Tips & Warnings

• Set up an in office discrimination policy. If you do receive an age discrimination complaint, follow the protocol outlined in your policy to resolve the dispute.

References

• Equal Opportunity Commission: Age Discrimination