Imagine working in the same job for 20 years when the company merges with another organization. The new management team is high energy and hungry to make their mark within the industry. Things slowly begin to change around the office and you are becoming more and more unsure of your position. But, what if what you are experiencing is age discrimination? What if the new management team is working on pushing out any employees who are over a certain age?
Age discrimination is something that occurs in in Fort Lauderdale companies as well as many others across the nation. If you are not sure if you are a victim, look for the following signs of age discrimination.
The employee pool is getting younger
If you start to notice that the staff is getting younger and older employees seem to be leaving en masse, then age discrimination might be occurring. Stay alert and listen for talk that management is forcing older employees to retire early or offering them buyouts to make room for a younger work force.
Your work duties are becoming more menial
One of the ways that employers try to force out older employees is to start inundating them with unpleasant or menial tastes. If you find yourself doing the work of an intern on a regular basis, this could be a sign that management is trying to get you to leave.
You're hearing ageist comments
If your supervisor starts asking when you are going to retire, make a note of it. Furthermore, respond to these comments in an email that references such conversations and indicate that you have no intention of retiring. In addition, if you are hearing nasty comments from colleagues, take this as a further sign that age discrimination is occurring.
Your pay becomes stagnant
If you start to notice that everyone is receiving raises (even the new guy who is borderline incompetent and never shows up on time) but you are not, you should take this as a sign that age discrimination is a problem. However, if you did not have as a good a year as normal, then the lack of a raise might be justified.
If you are experiencing any of the above signs at work, you could be a victim of age discrimination. Keep in mind that you still have rights and options and you might be able to take legal action.