(Published May 25, 2009)
As a contractor, I spend my time in a lot of HR managers' offices. It began to sink in that I'm middle aged when I realized how many of the managers I meet with look like children to me. This was underscored recently when an HR Internet board I post on asked the question, "Where were you in (I won't say the exact year)?". I was in high school, and many of the other responders weren't even born yet.
My husband mentioned in passing an article he saw recently about a man who walked into a job interview to find that the interviewer not only was much younger than he was, but that the interviewer turned white when he saw how old the man was. "Maybe you should write about age discrimination," my husband suggested.
Age discrimination is a toughie. I mean no disrespect to the next generation when I say that often, older workers have a stronger work ethic. This is not universally true, any more than it is universally true that the upcoming generation has an entitlement attitude. But as a general rule, I see less entitlement from my own generation than I do from those younger than I am.
On the other hand, for some (not all) jobs, someone younger and fresh out of training may well have the most up-to-date skills, while someone older and longer in the job market may find that newer methods, skills, or software are available and that they have not learned them.
We all know that age discrimination against individuals 40 and older is illegal under federal law; it is also, according to my most recent cheat sheet, illegal under the laws of 47 states. (It should be noted that some states expand on the federal definition and protect workers younger than 40.)
We also all know that not everyone will agree on what is and is not discrimination. Some employees will always assume that they are being discriminated against when they don't get what they want. (As I said, entitlement is not limited to the younger generation!) On the other hand, some employers may not even realize that they are acting in a discriminatory manner.
Just for a moment, think about something. When you first meet an applicant, do you have any preconceived notions about them? Do you automatically assume that younger applicants will be better trained, or that older ones will have better experience? Do you hesitate to hire young women because they might need time off for maternity leave, or older individuals because they might need more medical care?
Sometimes we have prejudices we're not even aware of. I've told you above what mine tend to be, even though I'm aware that they don't always hold true. You might have the same, or yours might be different. But if you find yourself dismayed by an applicant's age when they enter the room, consider why. It just might save you from a discrimination claim.
Catherine Bannon is an HR consultant in Marshfield, MA (catherine.bannon@gmail.com). Bannon worked for 10 years in HR management before starting her consulting practice.
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