The generation that came of age telling people never to trust anyone over 30 is now more than twice that old and on the wrong side of dismissive quips like, “OK, Boomer!”
Ageism is a confounding prejudice if you consider the fact that most people hope to grow old. So now this generation is grappling with age discrimination fomented by the very ageism they helped foster against their elders. And the people now disrespecting Boomers will eventually find themselves the butt of age discrimination of another era.
As the United Nations reported earlier this year, half of the world discriminates against older people because of their age, something most older adults have seen or experienced personally. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received more than 14,000 age discrimination claims last year, an increase of about 23% over the previous year. Age discrimination claims made up more than 17% of all discrimination complaints filed with the agency.
Age discrimination is prevalent in work environments, in health care and among social connections. One AARP study found that you may become the victim of age discrimination as early as your 50s. Some 22% of those studied believe it starts even earlier, when workers hit 30 or 40.
Here are some things to know:
1. Attitude vs. action
Ageism is an attitude, a prejudice rooted in stereotypes. It is so ingrained in our culture that we often overlook it, unlike sexism or racism. It leads to age discrimination – the action. According to AARP, two of three workers aged 45 to 74 say they have experienced age discrimination at work, such as failing to get prime assignments or being overlooked for a promotion.
A JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) report found that some 90% of people 50 to 80 experienced ageism. And according to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, age-based harassment claims more than tripled between 1992 and 2017.
2. Age discrimination and ageism are older than we are
Our parents may have claimed their generation respected their elders, but a historical analysis dates negative attitudes toward old age to the late 1800s when feelings began to transition from “ambivalence to disrespect and even to hostility.” Those attitudes have become increasingly negative over time.
And despite 50-year-old federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on age, AARP estimates age discrimination costs the economy $850 billion a year in lost contributions from older workers. Data from the 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 82% of older Americans reported experiencing ageism regularly.
3. Two main federal laws ban age discrimination
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act forbids discrimination against workers 40 or older, meaning their age cannot be a factor in denying jobs or promotions in favor of younger workers. The act is enforced by the EEOC.
The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination in programs and activities (such as health care and education) receiving federal financial assistance. Unlike the employment law, this act applies to all ages. It allows age to be taken into account when necessary to accomplish the goals of the relevant program or activity, such as the ability to lift heavy objects.
Some states have age discrimination laws that provide added protection.
4. You can successfully sue, but...
An over-40 pharmaceutical rep sued Lilly USA, for age discrimination and won a class action suit in 2023 after showing that the company failed to hire older pharmaceutical representatives. The court ordered the company, and its parent, Eli Lilly and Co., to pay $2.4 million and provide employee training and specifically state in recruiter contracts that it does not discriminate against older job candidates.
But age discrimination can be difficult to prove, and you may risk retaliation by filing a claim. The U.S. Postal Service in Louisiana fired a letter carrier, then reinstated her after she won an age discrimination complaint in 2018. But she claimed she was then targeted for her retaliation and eventually fired again. The court ruled for the post office in her second complaint and dismissed her age discrimination claims.
5. If you go for the win, anyway…
Those who successfully sue for age discrimination can recover back pay, lost benefits, attorneys fees and more. Lost benefits can include retirement pay and health insurance.
Two over-60 Ohio State University instructors sued, alleging “an ongoing and unchecked pattern of harassing conduct,” including a supervisor referring to them as “millstones” and “deadwood.” The university settled with the women in 2018 for $765,000, gave them their jobs back and committed to training sessions on bias.
6. Not all unequal treatment is considered age discrimination
This actually makes a certain amount of sense. To give a ridiculous example, you wouldn’t expect a slot playing on your local little league team. But less obviously, studies have found the older you are, the more likely you are to be turned down for a mortgage.
But this can be explained by legitimate concerns such as longevity projections affecting the ability to pay off a long-term loan. Older people who do get mortgages tend to pay slightly more. But this can be explained by the fact that older people may shop around less for better loan terms.
7. Ageism can affect your health
Ageism has a host of negative effects on those who become its victims, including on physical and mental health. Ageist attitudes can contribute to financial insecurity and social isolation. The World Health Organization says 6.3 million cases of depression are estimated to be attributable to ageism around the world.
Ageism among health care professionals can hurt patients. Several studies have uncovered that doctors may fail to address some medical issues, such as harmful drug side effects, because, in some cases, they may dismiss older patients’ complaints as merely part of getting older.
A Yale School of Public Health study found that ageism in the U.S. is responsible for $63 billion in excess costs a year for a broad range of health conditions. Another Yale analysis of 422 studies found that ageism adversely affected the health of older adults in 96% of those studied.
8. It can appear positive
Calling older people “sweetie” or “honey” or describing older couples as adorable can serve to infantilize them and rob them of their agency. It can be offensive because it can feel patronizing or condescending, lacking respect and marginalizing. This can be especially pernicious in health care or employment settings.
9. Don’t be ageist yourself
One study published in JAMA found that more than 81% of people between 50 and 80 hold ageist stereotypes. Such attitudes allow younger people to justify age discrimination. But older people who adopt a more positive perception of their age experience less anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Harvard Professor Becca Levy found in her studies that how people think about their own age can steal or add eight years to their lives.
10. Effective interventions exist
Studies on ageism interventions show that the most effective interventions combine education on aging with an increase in intergenerational contact. If younger people have almost no contact with older people, false ideas can develop. But contact alone is not enough.
One approach paired high school students with older adults for wisdom-sharing. The youth who participated showed improved attitudes toward older people and their life purpose. Educate yourself, as well, to feel more comfortable with your age.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that’s right on the money.
