Age discrimination is a reality for many job applicants in Indiana. Despite decades of relevant job experience, older job applicants are often passed over for younger, less experienced job candidates.

CONCERNS ABOUT AGE DISCRIMINATION

A survey taken by AARP found that a vast majority of older workers believe that their age is a disadvantage in the workplace. According to the survey, 64% of workers age 50 and up believe that they are discriminated against in the hiring process. A full 79% of workers over the age of 65 say that age discrimination affects them at work.

WHAT STATISTICS SHOW

Concerns that older workers have about age discrimination have been validated by research. Tulane University conducted a study where 40,000 resumes were sent out to 13,000 job openings across the US. The resumes were created to represent young, middle-aged and senior job applicants with nearly identical work qualifications.

According to the Tulane researchers, the resumes that represented older job applicants generated the fewest callbacks from employers. Older workers are not only challenged when it comes to hiring, they also suffer from increased job loss. These realities exist despite the fact that clearly bars employers from engaging in age discrimination.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR YOUR AGE

You have some recourse if you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of your age. If you were not hired, passed over for a promotion or fired because your employer believed you were too old, you can file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. You may also be able to claim compensation for your financial damages.