As the American workforce ages, the potential for running afoul of age bias laws is increasing for employers. As a result, all employers should consider how they can alter their policies and practices to reduce their risk of getting hit with an age bias suit. One place to begin is to review your hiring practices, starting with help-wanted notices or ads.
It’s critical that you not use language in your ad that could tend to screen out older applicants, either by expressing a preference for workers under 40 or a limitation against workers over age 40. Using the following terms could get you into trouble:
–recent grad
–age 25 to 35
–very young company
–student
–junior position
–will train new graduate
–right out of college (2 years) or service
–recent grad with little or no experience
For more on what you can do to avoid age discrimination claims, and reap the most benefits from a seasoned workforce, see the exclusive CEA Special Report, “The Complete Guide to Understanding and Preventing Age Bias in the Workplace.”
Additional Resources:
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing