Age discrimination when seeking a new job.

[sheshe2]

A question I was asked on one application.

Have you reached your 16th birthday and have not yet surpassed your 40th.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Wow, in my business the older worker shows up to work on time and ready to work.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. And tend to get paid more...

they like payer the younger workers because they are cheaper.

[Thinkingabout]

18. Being older and showing up to work does not get more money, wish it did.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. In my field

(Flight simulation) the older techs who have been around a while tend to get paid more than the junior techs.

On edit: that also is the trend for newly hired techs who have experience at other companies.

[MANative]

3. They can ask if you're over 16, because most states have minimum age laws

for many types of jobs. Asking if you're over a certain upper age limit is not legal.

(I'm VP of HR for an NYC garment manufacturer.)

[sheshe2]

4. I know...

Yet they do it anyway.

Thanks MANative.

Know of any jobs for me? I just want to make it two more years until full retirement.

[MANative]

5. Where are you and what kind of work do you do?

I've got lots of contacts in the greater Metro area.

[sheshe2]

6. Mass

Metro West.

I have been in commission furniture sales most of my life, management as well.

Will PM you.

[MANative]

7. Absolutely. Furniture business not an area of expertise, but always willing to help if I can!

So Framingham to Worcester area?

[femmocrat]

8. I filed an age discrimination complaint once.

I remember that over age 40 was the "tipping point." So it does sound like discrimination, to me at least.

[sheshe2]

9. What was the result?

[femmocrat]

11. It went nowhere.

The employer lied about the interview. I got some satisfaction from causing them some grief though. And I ended up with a better job somewhere else!

Good luck on your job hunt.

[sheshe2]

13. Thanks!

[yallerdawg]

10. I wonder if employer's health insurance/plan/cost impacts hiring now?

As we know, age is one of first questions on heath insurance.

Hillary proposes buying into Medicare at 55. Medicare only has a minimum age.

[sheshe2]

12. Hey you.

I could not afford Cobra. It would have been over 650 a month. I was panicked with the overwhelming paperwork from unemployment. It took me awhile before I could even look into it. I had to cancel all my appointments.

I was uninsured for months, finally thanks to Obamacare I got insurance through Mass Health Connector, it costs next to nothing, lol....since I am making nothing.

Go Hill! Medicare!

[sheshe2]

15. PS....

"Cost impacts hiring".

Yes it does, it is why they only offer part time. No benefits, no cost.

[groundloop]

14. That question is illegal as hell but nearly impossible to do anything about it

I've been out of work for 8 months now and have been applying to jobs for which I'm highly qualified (I'm an engineer and over 50). What I've seen is that instead of asking "how old are you", which is clearly illegal, they'll ask "what year did you graduate from college".

In the case of your question, I believe I'd file a complaint with the EEOC for no other reason than to waste their time while they make up excuses defending themselves. Bullshit like that just absolutely makes my blood boil.

Good luck in your job search.

[sheshe2]

19. Good luck to you as well.

[Ms. Toad]

17. Age 40 is the age at which discrimination based on age becomes illegal.

It is one of the few categories of protection against discrimination that only protects a portion of the population.

Once you hit 40 you are protected from age-based discrimination; before you're not.