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AgeismAge Discrimination Claims Soar in Troubled EconomyPosted by: Anti-Ageism Task ForceMarch 15, 2009— The Wall Street Journal reports this week that age discrimination claims are increasing at a higher percentage -- a walloping 29% -- then overall employment discrimination complaints, which are up only 15%. Given the troubled economy, that complaints are up across the board is not surprising, but age-bias claims are soaring despite the fact that the 6.5% unemployment rate for workers 40 and over is below the 10% percent rate for younger workers. The Journal attributes this discrepancy partly due to the increasing number of older workers, and partly to the fact that it typically takes longer for older employees to find new employers than their younger counterparts. The authors also speculate that older workers often enjoy higher salaries and better benefits than younger ones, making them prime candidates when it comes time for lay-offs. Perhaps the most shocking story told in the article is that of 56-year old Joan Zawacki, a vice-president of Realogy Corp., a real-estate brokerage firm. Zawacki was purportedly told to approach older employees as a "friend", to try and persuade them to look into early-retirement packages. When her efforts ultimately failed, Zawacki was laid off in what she was told was a cost-containment move, but which she alleges was age discrimination and retaliation. She is suing the firm for two million dollars in damages. Read the full article here, and as always, don't forget to share your own stories. Back
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Age Discrimination in a Bad Economy
By Unknown on Jun 22 2009 at 6:50 PM
Great grandparents and grandparents are the next best thing to parents a wise pediatrician once told me. They take better care of your children than friends or strangers. Why ? He said'" because they raised you and you are a good citizen." What ever happened to Honor your father and mother that your days may be long on earth? When we see an elder as weak, we need to remember they have life experience. The older wine is the best some say. Yet some in our media tell us our wrinkles need ironing and our gray hair needs color. I will admit, changing these does make for looking younger. Youth have new and fresh things to offer, but sometimes they are not as good as the older ways. A wise nun once taught me how to use yarn to crochet. It was hard at first, but after I had learned some nice patterns, she said I will bet you thought our ancestors were not too smart. How can a kintergardner master what is taught in a University?
Age Discrimination in a Bad Economy
By Unknown on Jun 22 2009 at 6:54 PM
by Brenda kay Winters who hopes to grow old. For every problem there are four solutions. One is best and one is the worst. We need to take care of our elderly in better ways. Do you have any ideas? My father was placed in a Nurisng Home and when I visited my heart broke and I cried for over an hour. Why? No fresh water and his call light was out of his reach. He was immobilized in a Crib soiled in his own body fluids. That was over six years ago and if he had been left there, he would not be alive today. G-d bless America.
Ageism and Abuse
By Unknown on Aug 19 2009 at 5:53 PM
I am an experienced school teacher in grades K through 12. I divorced an abusive alcoholic 10 years ago when I was in my 40's. I left my job teaching High School to home school two of my teens who had encountered problems in the public school system. After I had those two graduated, I found my freedom from physical abuse, but ran right into abusive practices against older teachers in non-hiring policies. I could find only substitute positions and all around me were young kids teaching right out of college with very little acumen.
I divorced a trial lawyer in a good ol' boy district. After 26 years, I left with a car and a car payment. It was his system and he worked it. Unable to make ends meet on a substitute's pay, I was evicted from my rent house and my younger teenage son was forced to go to his father who had the money and my home.
I ended up homeless for six months, sleeping in a tent, or my car and marked my 52nd birthday alone, destitute and sleeping on the ground. The man I divorced was a West Point Graduate, trained in war and then I supported him and put him through law school so he could become an expert at court warfare. His need for revenge, along with abilities to destroy, are rampant even ten years later. I finally got a job with an Indian Tribe as their Parenting Educator and worked for them for several years. As soon as I got an address the Ex sent me a packet with legal papers suing me for $76K for repairs to be done on the house he and his lady friend took from me. With no money or family to help, he got that judgment against me as I was not represented.
In September of 2007 I was downsized from the Tribe and left to search out the job market again. I felt confident that I would do well as I had gained certifications and managerial experience when working for them. After almost two thousand job rejections, almost two years later, I am homeless again. I have applied to school districts across Montana, Texas and Oklahoma. They are crying out for teachers, but they want young ones. I believe they are rejecting more vintage teachers and hiring non-certified young people. There are indications on their websites that they will pay for the certification and give a temporary teaching certificate.
My 59th birthday is coming up in a few days. Here I am homeless again wondering how all those years of dedication to children, helping others, and being a tolerant wife could have netted me such a dire outcome. Many of us will be perishing as we are not old enough for Social Security and society has no value for us. This is the outcome of families being across the country form their elders and young people not learning to honor and respect the vintage wisdom of older adults. I don't fear death, but I do mourn for the society of today casting out it's most valuable assets as garbage, their elders.