5 Things to Know About Age Discrimination

Age discrimination is prevalent in work environments, in health care and among social connections. One AARP study found that you may become the victim of age discrimination as early as your 50s. Some 22% of those studied believe it starts even earlier, when workers hit 30 or 40.

Here are five things to know about ageism:

1. Age discrimination and ageism are older than we are. A historical analysis dates negative attitudes toward old age to the late 1800s when feelings began to transition from “ambivalence to disrespect and even to hostility.” Those attitudes have become increasingly negative over time. Data from the 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 82% of older Americans reported experiencing ageism regularly.
2. Two main federal laws ban age discrimination. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act forbids discrimination against workers 40 or older, meaning their age cannot be a factor in denying jobs or promotions in favor of younger workers. The act is enforced by the EEOC. The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination in programs and activities (such as health care and education) receiving federal financial assistance. Unlike the employment law, this act applies to all ages.

It allows age to be taken into account when necessary to accomplish the goals of the relevant program or activity, such as the ability to lift heavy objects. Some states have age discrimination laws that provide added protection.

3. You can sue, but… Those who successfully sue for age discrimination can recover back pay, lost benefits, attorneys fees and more. Lost benefits can include retirement pay and health insurance.

That said, age discrimination can be difficult to prove, and you may risk retaliation by filing a claim. The U.S. Postal Service in Louisiana fired a letter carrier, then reinstated her after she won an age discrimination complaint in 2018. But she claimed she was then targeted for retaliation and eventually fired again. The court ruled for the post office in her second complaint and dismissed her age discrimination claims.

4. Ageism can affect your health. Ageism has a host of negative effects on those who become its victims, including on physical and mental health. Ageist attitudes can contribute to financial insecurity and social isolation. The World Health Organization says 6.3 million cases of depression are estimated to be attributable to ageism around the world. Ageism among health care professionals can hurt patients. Several studies have uncovered that doctors may fail to address some medical issues, such as harmful drug side effects, because, in some cases, they may dismiss older patients’ complaints as merely part of getting older.
5. Don’t be ageist yourself. One study found that more than 81% of people between 50 and 80 hold ageist stereotypes. Such attitudes allow younger people to justify age discrimination. But older people who adopt a more positive perception of their age experience less anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Harvard Professor Becca Levy found in her studies that how people think about their own age can steal or add eight years to their lives.

Yvette C. Hammett is a contributing writer at Kiplinger Retirement Report. For more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.

©2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Read more about ageism on Seniors Guide:

Confronting Ageism in the Workplace