I am not getting any younger. This is a fact but it also means my friends are not getting any younger either. And lately, I’ve seen some of those friends down-sized and looking for work. It can be hard for older workers to obtain employment.
This article from Forbes discusses some factors that enabled the EEOC to obtain a $2.8 million settlement with Darden Restaurants (parent of Olive Garden) on behalf of older job applicants.
Employers will often use thinly veiled code words to describe why older workers shouldn’t get a job. If you’re being told you “don’t fit the image”, or you aren’t “vibrant” enough (among others), you may just be the victim of age discrimination. And if you’re an employer, avoid these sorts of references in your hiring decisions or you could find yourself on the wrong end of an employment suit or EEOC investigation.