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It has been observed that employees, who get more salary and perks because of higher positions in the administration, get discriminated against, as younger lot is zealous of them. Older people face difficulties because the organization uses discriminatory policies against them. This is usually done to get rid of such employees as they get more salary and cost the company more than the younger employees. Fed up with the company’s policies, these old employees leave it, thus reducing the cost of the company.

It is also seen that older employees resist changes in technology, which are essential for development of business. Organizations prefer younger workforce, which finds it easy to adapt to the changes. Because of such thinking, it is difficult for a man over the age of forty to get suitable employment in an organization. To prevent such discrimination, laws have been enacted to save the interests of older employees and some guidelines have been laid for the companies to follow.

The Age discrimination in Employment Act (AEDA), 1967, aims to protect the interests of people over forty, and tries to save them from discrimination in the workplace. If such people are treated differently in matters relating to hiring, paying salaries, promotions, perks, training, layoffs and firing, it is considered to be illegal under the laws of the federation. Another law, called the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, 1990, makes it compulsory for the organization to dole out customary benefits to the older workers. Both the laws fall under the purview of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and they apply to any organization that employs more than twenty workers.

How to avoid discrimination against older employees

It is the responsibility of the managers in organizations to inculcate the feelings of respect towards older employees so that younger workforce does not engage in discrimination. Some important steps an organization should take to avoid age discrimination are as follows.

•    Skills and ability, and not the age should be the criteria of selection of employees
•    Age should not be a factor while deciding the salary of a person
•    In job advertisements, range of age should be mentioned
•    Those who take interviews for hiring should be sensitive towards age discrimination.
•    Regardless of age, training should be given to everyone.
•    Bonus and incentives should be given irrespective of age.
•    Notice should be given to all those who engage in age discrimination.
•    Consequences of age discrimination should be clearly spelled out.