The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that one in four workers in 2026 will be age 55 and older—that’s up from one in eight in 1990. And although the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits employers from displaying bias against most applicants and employees 40 years or older with regard to hiring and firing, promotions, compensation, or employment terms and conditions, older workers still face bias and discrimination.
In 2018, AARP conducted a study that found that nearly two out of three workers over age 45 have seen or experienced ageism on the job. Bias can take the shape of age-specific stereotypes, such as the notion that older workers are resistant to change or not as technologically competent. Or it can be distasteful jokes about aging and even unethical and illegal actions like refusing to promote a qualified employee because of their age.
Here’s how age bias is playing out today.
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