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Potential Pitfalls of Recruiting Young Workers

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South Jersey Employment Lawyers discuss Potential Pitfalls of Recruiting Young WorkersIt is not uncommon for companies to seek out young workers for entry-level positions. Sometimes, this is part of an internship program in collaboration with a local college. It may be a strategy used to secure workers with little to no experience in their field with the idea that they will be easy to train to perform work according to the company’s specifications. It can also be done as a cost-saving measure. Young, inexperienced workers cost a company less in salaries and other compensation. When companies prioritize hiring young workers over older workers as a cost-saving measure, they are committing age discrimination. In fact, any time an older worker is passed over in favor of a younger worker on the basis of age, rather than ability, age discrimination has occurred.

Recently, a tax and accounting services firm made headlines when it faced a class and collective action claim alleging that it had committed age discrimination. The claim states that the company’s recruiting practices favored younger workers, even going so far as to prevent individuals not currently attending college from applying to entry-level positions. Other allegations to support this claim included efforts from the company to retain millennial employees, recruiting brochures full of images of young workers, and an agreed-upon retirement age for partners and principals at the firm.

Age Discrimination in the Workplace

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in American workplaces. However, this protection only applies to workers aged 40 and over. Generally, this is the population that tends to face age discrimination because of biases about their competence with technology and taking instructions from supervisors and their compensation needs.

Recognizing Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Age discrimination can be subtle. The key to recognizing age discrimination when it occurs is to look at the events that led up to the discriminatory action and those that follow, such as:

  • Age-related comments directed toward an individual or group of employees during meetings, company outings, and workplace communications
  • Encouraging employees of a certain age to retire
  • Replacing retired and terminated older workers with much younger individuals
  • Excluding older workers from certain projects, training, and professional development
  • Passing over older workers for promotion despite their qualification for the new position
  • Giving older workers poor performance reviews despite performing at the same level as younger workers
  • Prohibiting older workers from taking time off and receiving disability or sick time pay for the same ailments that young workers are permitted to use these benefits to cover

South Jersey Employment Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. Represent Age Discrimination Victims Seeking Compensation for their Damages

Age discrimination in the workplace can cause a victim to suffer considerable financial damages. If you feel you have been a victim of age discrimination in your workplace, submit an online contact form or call 215-569-1999 to arrange consultation with an experienced South Jersey discrimination lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. Our office is located in Philadelphia and we work with clients from New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

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