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Ageism In The Workplace Essay

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Ageism

Ageism is “discrimination against older people.” (Webster’s, 2003) The words age and racism combined to define this prejudice. There are studies that show one in every five workers in the United States are over fifty-five. Around sixty percent of workers state they have experienced ageism in the workplace. (North, 2013)

Yet, the elderly are not the only ones who experience age discrimination. Ageism happens to children, teenagers, and middle-aged adults. Age discrimination appears to be prevalent in all countries. In Japan it 's reported as early as thirty years old. Recruiting agencies there discriminate against workers at a young age. In the United States the magic number seems to be around fifty. Ageism is normal for our society today, it is common place practice. It is the one bias that is not talked about or advocated against.

Individual Ageism

The elderly experience ageism on a daily basis. Whether it is in the workplace, in the media, by family and personal relationships. Workers report that age discrimination has become common in their work place. Society trains us early on to “act our age,” and it carries into adulthood. Many believe that the elderly should retire and let younger workers have their jobs. Women report that this bias appears for them at a younger age than for men who are their contemporaries. This is especially true in the media, we tend to judge older women harder than we do older men.

We are all guilty of ageism

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