When companies are looking for new employees with educations they know they can trust, they often set up job fairs are local colleges or do their recruitment directly at these institutions of higher learning. It makes sense; they need workers, and colleges are filled with students who are about to graduate and need jobs. Bringing the two sides together helps everyone win.
However, some have argued that this is actually a form of age discrimination. Many college grads are in their 20s. Some are in their 30s, but very few are 40 and above. The argument is that workers who are out of college don’t have a chance to land these jobs, which are going to students and former students.
So far, this has not actually been classified as discrimination, however. Companies are allowed to recruit, as long as they don’t say that they refuse to hire older workers. It’s not their fault that college graduates tend to be younger or that they’re trained for these jobs.
That said, companies typically cannot post job ads saying they would like to hire workers who are recent grads, or that those who aren’t shouldn’t apply. That can be viewed as discrimination since it indicates that older workers are being overlooked. That’s different than having a job fair that does not exclude anyone intentionally, even if most people who attend happen to be younger.
Do you think you have been discriminated against based on your age? If so, it’s crucial to know what rights you have and what steps to take. All workers deserve to have the same opportunities and the same treatment in the United States.
