Workplace age discrimination alive and well
Press Release
30 April 2011
Being constantly referred to as the “f*cking geriatric” by workmates, is one of the stories to emerge from new research that reveals age discrimination is alive and well in the workplace.
While this case involving a 50-year-old labourer was blatant, age discrimination is more often covert and notoriously difficult to prove, writes the late Professor Sol Encel in his report, The Elephant in the Room, conducted for National Seniors Australia.
Releasing the report today, National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said that while the 2004 federal age discrimination laws were meant to help older workers, in some ways they had made it more difficult.
“With the age discrimination laws in place, employers are now much more sophisticated in how they exclude older workers. For example they may use recruitment agencies to screen applicants, employ code terms such as “overqualified” or frame advertisements denoting youth”.
“And then, surprisingly in this day and age, there are still those employers who just come out and say ‘you’re too old’”.
“The costs to the nation are huge. In a human sense we’re creating an underclass more likely to experience social isolation, ill health and financial insecurity. In monetary terms, not employing these people who want to work translates into a $10.8 billion annual loss to the economy”.
“Negative stereotypes of older workers have been around for decades. The world has moved on. It’s time for the people who judge a person’s ability by their age to realise they’re the ones out of date,” said O’Neill.
The report calls on policy makers to:
1. Examine the issue of ‘disguised discrimination’ and strengthen the relevant anti-discrimination legislation to reduce the likelihood of covert discrimination.
2. Ensure individuals can make their own work or retirement choices in the light of their own health, aspirations, financial status and family situations.
3. Promote greater awareness by employees of their rights to complain about age discrimination.
The report comes only ten days after Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Sydney Institute speech in which she indicated possible cuts to the disability pension in the May budget.
Long term unemployment is a harsh reality for older workers. Despite determination, it takes the over-50s three times longer than younger workers to get back into the workforce. After years of trying, if they’re below 65 many will end up on a disability pension.
National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, is available for interview.
With a quarter of a million members Australia-wide, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for the over 50s. It is the fourth largest organisation of its type in the world
Media contact: Sarah Saunders 0409 055 156.
To download the report click here.
30 April 2011
Workplace age discrimination alive and well, new report reveals
Being constantly referred to as the “f*cking geriatric” by workmates, is one of the stories to emerge from new research that reveals age discrimination is alive and well in the workplace.
While this case involving a 50-year-old labourer was blatant, age discrimination is more often covert and notoriously difficult to prove, writes the late Professor Sol Encel in his report, The Elephant in the Room, conducted for National Seniors Australia.
Releasing the report today, National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said that while the 2004 federal age discrimination laws were meant to help older workers, in some ways they had made it more difficult.
“With the age discrimination laws in place, employers are now much more sophisticated in how they exclude older workers. For example they may use recruitment agencies to screen applicants, employ code terms such as “overqualified” or frame advertisements denoting youth”.
“And then, surprisingly in this day and age, there are still those employers who just come out and say ‘you’re too old’”.
“The costs to the nation are huge. In a human sense we’re creating an underclass more likely to experience social isolation, ill health and financial insecurity. In monetary terms, not employing these people who want to work translates into a $10.8 billion annual loss to the economy”.
“Negative stereotypes of older workers have been around for decades. The world has moved on. It’s time for the people who judge a person’s ability by their age to realise they’re the ones out of date,” said O’Neill.
The report calls on policy makers to:
1. Examine the issue of ‘disguised discrimination’ and strengthen the relevant anti-discrimination legislation to reduce the likelihood of covert discrimination.
2. Ensure individuals can make their own work or retirement choices in the light of their own health, aspirations, financial status and family situations.
3. Promote greater awareness by employees of their rights to complain about age discrimination.
The report comes only ten days after Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Sydney Institute speech in which she indicated possible cuts to the disability pension in the May budget.
Long term unemployment is a harsh reality for older workers. Despite determination, it takes the over-50s three times longer than younger workers to get back into the workforce. After years of trying, if they’re below 65 many will end up on a disability pension.
National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, is available for interview.
With a quarter of a million members Australia-wide, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for the over 50s. It is the fourth largest organisation of its type in the world
Media contact: Sarah Saunders 0409 055 156.
To download the report click here.
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