Ageism, sexism pose a double hazard for experienced women in the workplace

Workplace discrimination is illegal in all its forms, whether that discrimination is based on race, gender, age, disability, national origin or numerous other reasons. Workers deserve fair treatment, regardless of the personal factors that they cannot change.

Unfortunately, workplace discrimination does still happen. Some groups even face multiple issues. One such example is experienced women who are over 50 years of age.

Older women face discrimination from multiple directions

Forbes has called ageism and sexism the “double whammy” that these workers are dealing with. Are they seeing discrimination because of their gender in a male-dominated industry? Are they being discriminated against because of their age in a workplace full of recent college graduates? In many cases, it’s both. If an employer is even slightly biased against women or older workers, these experienced employees find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders.

It’s not just getting fired and replaced that’s an issue. It could also be that these women have trouble finding jobs in the first place. Are employers giving preferential treatment to young men and just tossing out any resumes that come in from older women? This can compound the issues workers face and make them feel like their career is out of their hands.

What can you do if you’re facing or have faced workplace discrimination?

If discrimination is illegal but it still happens anyway, then that means all workers must understand their rights and legal options. There are often steps that can be taken to even the playing field. Consulting with an experienced employment lawyer can help you better understand your legal options and the next steps you should take.