Employment Discrimination 3

Age Discrimination in the Workplace

  • Age discrimination, also known as ageism, is a significant issue in the workplace.

  • Statistics from AARP:

    • One in five workers in the U.S. is 55 or older.

    • 64% of workers report witnessing or experiencing age discrimination.

    • 58% of adults believe age discrimination begins in their fifties.

  • Importance of this issue increases with the aging U.S. population.

Research on Age Discrimination

  • Recent study by researchers involved sending out fictitious resumes to employers, differing only in the applicants' ages.

    • Younger applicants received significantly more callbacks than older applicants.

  • EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) data highlights various types of workplace discrimination faced by employees, often defended by employers.

Misconceptions of Diversity

  • A misleading notion of diversity exists; for instance, a homogenous group may still claim diversity by citing different life experiences.

  • Question: Is this reasoning acceptable in the context of companies like Apple, which advertises itself as diverse?

Legal Cases in Discrimination

  • EEOC vs. Abercrombie & Fitch (2014):

    • A Muslim American named Sam was denied a sales position due to the company's hat-wearing rules.

    • The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sam, affirming that employers cannot consider an applicant's religious practices in employment decisions.

Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications (BFOQ)

  • Discrimination can be legally acceptable in certain situations if it qualifies as a BFOQ.

  • Definition: A quality or attribute that employers can consider when making hiring decisions but would typically violate civil rights employment laws if applied elsewhere.

  • BFOQs should be explicitly listed in employment criteria.

Cases of Accepted Discrimination

  • Examples of potentially recognized discriminatory practices:

    • Airline female flight attendants influencing passenger comfort.

    • Latino retail salespeople engaging Latino customers.

    • Older baggage handlers potentially lacking physical strength.

    • Black employers having better rapport with black employees.

  • Question remains: Which of these has been deemed reasonable by the Supreme Court?

Costs of Discrimination to Businesses

  • Discrimination leads to substantial financial losses for businesses:

    • High employee turnover and the subsequent cost of hiring and training new staff.

    • Executive search and training costs can reach up to $210,000.

  • Negative effects include:

    • Decreased morale and productivity.

    • Shrinking hiring pool, preventing access to the best candidates.

    • Minorities, women, and disabled individuals might avoid companies with negative reputations.

Economic Impact of Discrimination

  • Discrimination can deter customers with spending power.

  • For instance:

    • African Americans represent $1.2 trillion in customer spending.

    • Women account for approximately $13 trillion in spending.

  • Additionally, lawsuits stemming from discrimination issues can cost businesses millions.

Conclusion

  • Importance of developing a diverse workforce is emphasized through various statistics and case studies.

  • Watch the accompanying video focused on hiring a more diverse workforce.