If your complaint gets you nowhere and you think it is serious enough, you could consider taking the issue to an employment tribunal.According to recent reports, one-third of employees report having experienced some form of age discrimination in their workplace. What can you do about it?
Whether you are being passed over for that job you are well qualified for because you are on the wrong side of 40 or are being overlooked for the promotion you deserve – while watching other, younger and less-experienced people surge ahead in their careers – you could be the victim of ageism.
Although men can be victims of ageism, women are more likely to experience age discrimination linked to their childbearing age. Some employers still refuse to take a woman onto their payroll if they feel they are likely to want to start a family anytime soon.
People aged over 55 are more likely to report age discrimination, followed by those aged between 18 and 34 – ageism does not just affect older workers. Women are also more likely to experience double discrimination – ageism and sexism combined.
Ageism at work – being discriminated against because of your age – is against the law. The Equality Act says workers should not be discriminated against in their workplace and elsewhere due to their age; therefore, if you believe you have been actively discriminated against due to how young or old you are, you are entitled to complain.
Firstly, if the discrimination is by your present employer, you should lodge a formal complaint. Speak to your line manager or, if the line manager is the person you are complaining against, to another manager. Your company should have a set procedure to follow if you complain.
If your complaint gets you nowhere and you think it is serious enough, you could consider taking the issue to an employment tribunal.
There are also certain steps you can take to protect yourself from ageism at work. If you experience anything that seems like discrimination, keep a record of when and what it was, who it involved, and anything that was said. If there was something written down, such as in an email, keep it – this may prove invaluable later if you need to prove ageism was taking place.
You should also ensure you keep your skills up to date so that no one can accuse you of lagging behind younger members of staff. If your manager does not invite you to training sessions, volunteer for them; in addition, try to forge good relationships with everyone in your workplace, whatever their age.
It is also important that you do not include your age or date of birth on your CV if you are looking for work; in this way, no one can discriminate against you before you even make it to an interview.
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