Age Discrimination

Believe it, or not, job seekers are reporting age discrimination beginning as early as the mid-thirties. By the time you reach your forties, you can be considered washed up in some industries. There are strategies you can use to help mitigate discrimination issues. There are also laws that prohibit employment discrimination because of age. In addition, to being considered "old," experienced candidates are some times considered more of an expense than a younger applicant would be.

If you are middle-aged, or even younger, keep in mind that you are not alone:

• There are over 16 million Americans over 55 who are either working or seeking work.
• Older workers are getting new jobs at an annual rate of 4.1 percent. This is more than double the .8 percent rate in the general population.
• Older Americans make up 10 percent of the workforce, but account for 22 percent of the nation's job growth.
• By 2015, the number of employees over 55 will reach a record 31.9 million, compared to 18.4 million in 2000.
• Extensive research has found no relationship between age and job performance.