When we think of discrimination in the workplace, our minds may go first to sexual harassment—a subject that has been making headlines for several months following a storm of high-profile scandals in industries from the media to government—or to discrimination based on race—which has a long and well-studied history in the United States. What we may not immediately think of when it comes to discrimination in the workplace is the issue of age discrimination.
Writing for Business.com, Justin Walker discusses the issue of age discrimination in the workplace. Walker notes that age discrimination can pose a big risk for employers that are unaware of, or disregard, prohibitions on discriminating against older employees. “Despite the clear and unambiguous legal safeguards in place to protect employees from age discrimination in the workplace,” he writes, “many workers over the age of 40 still face ageism at work, which can potentially cost your business money in lost productivity and performance, as well as exposing you to the very real risk of a legal challenge.”
So, how can your business avoid potentially costly allegations of age discrimination? Walker recommends three tips that are consistent with any type of discrimination prevention, and it would be wise to train your HR staff, hiring managers, and supervisors on these recommendations.
Provide Discrimination and Diversity Training
Just as many readers might not think of age discrimination as a major issue, it’s likely many of your employees don’t either. The first step to avoiding age-discrimination issues is to be aware of the applicable laws and rules and how to maintain compliance with them.
Create and Enforce Age-Related Policies
It’s key to have clear policies in place regarding age discrimination and to consistently and objectively enforce them.
Be Cognizant of Age-Related Issues During the Recruitment Process
The potential liability around age discrimination—and any discrimination for that matter—are not limited to existing employees. Issues can also arise during the interview and hiring process.
Age discrimination might not be the first to come to mind when thinking of discrimination in the workplace; however, it poses a real risk of liability for any business. It’s important to be sure that HR staff, managers, and employees in general are trained on age-discrimination policies.