Age workplace discrimination isn’t going anywhere

Employers in Florida often say that they value workers with years of experience and knowledge, actively seeking out experienced candidates to fill empty positions. Unfortunately, these employers seem to forget that decades of experience only comes with decades of work, meaning that these workers tend to be over the age of 50 or 60. Workplace discrimination against this age group is rampant and may be getting worse.

According to an AARP study from 2018, 60% of adults over the age of 45 have either experienced or seen age discrimination. In 2019, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 15,000 workplace age discrimination complaints. These might not even provide a wholly accurate view of the problem, as most incidents are never reported.

Age discrimination does not just affect the victim, either. Spouses, children and family members also feel the negative financial impact in the form of lost income. Employers who discriminate against older workers are also harming the economy and productivity in the workplace, since doing so actually limits the number of experienced and competent workers. Since the United States’ population is aging, employers who continue to shut out older workers are ultimately harming far more than the victims.

People of all ages deserve employment opportunities based on their skills, knowledge and experience. But older workers in Florida are routinely denied those opportunities and are instead judged by a factor beyond their control — age. Although it can be disheartening to lose out on an important job opportunity, there are options for pursuing justice and compensation from a former employer.