SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is answering HR questions as part of a series for USA Today.
Do you have an HR or work-related question you'd like him to answer? Submit it here.
I have been passed over for promotion multiple times over the last few years. Those promotions always seem to go to younger workers. When pressed for reasons, I have heard some version of the response: 'We are looking for someone with more long-term prospects.' I've also been asked when I plan to retire in a couple of interviews. Is this possibly discriminatory? What can I do? —James
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.: This really makes my blood boil. To think that we are still holding on to the misguided belief that older Americans have limited value in the workplace is terrible. Not only does the law require employers to evaluate candidates based on their skill, experience and merit instead of age, race, gender or ethnicity, but it's also the only ethical way for employers to operate.
I'll start by saying age discrimination—which includes suggesting someone consider retiring due to their age—is real and prevalent in U.S. workplaces. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the number of age-related discrimination charges filed by workers aged 65 and over doubled from 1990 to 2017, and 36 percent of workers feel their age has prevented them from securing a job since turning 40.
Despite negative perceptions, workers aged 60 and above have...
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