Age discrimination "continues to be a major barrier for older jobseekers"

04/11/2008

Only 10 percent of respondents to an online survey by The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) could say they had “never experienced age discrimination when looking for work” and just 13 percent thought the age discrimination legislation introduced in October 2006 had helped older people find work.

In a survey of 370 jobseekers, aged 50+, carried out between January and September 2008, the majority of jobseekers believe that employers’ perceptions were a major factor in contributing to their difficulties in getting work.  Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) believed they were seen as too old by employers and 42 percent said they were seen as too experienced or over-qualified.

The survey participants had better than average qualifications: 32 percent were degree educated and a further 23 percent had professional qualifications.  A large percentage (67) felt they had the right skills for today’s labour market but, despite their skills and experience, 45 percent had been looking for work for more than six months with a third of this number looking for more than two years.  Almost half (44 percent) were worried about not working and a further 30 percent said they were desperate to get a job.  Most respondents cited financial worries as the main reason for seeking employment.

Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN – The Age and Employment Network, commented:  “There are few barriers to employment experienced by older people as dispiriting as attitudes of age discrimination.  Whilst not everyone in the 50+ age group experiences difficulties in seeking suitable work, we believe such problems are widespread.  The introduction of legislation outlawing age discrimination in employment has certainly not eradicated it – particularly in recruitment where it is difficult for an individual to prove discrimination and take legal action.

“We began gathering responses to our survey in January 2008, before the labour market slowdown and the crisis in financial markets started to bite.  Our data represents responses from older jobseekers in a context when personal financial worries were probably less grave.  We cannot but be concerned that the over-50s are going to face even greater barriers as the economy deteriorates.”

Other key findings of the survey are:

32% had been made redundant
60% believed employers put too much emphasis on qualifications rather than skills and experience
85% had sought assistance in looking for work
46% rated the quality of the assistance they were given as not very good or poor
89% were aware of the existence of age discrimination legislation in employment
63% were aware roughly of their rights under the legislation
38% said they had experienced age discrimination in the workplace while 34% were not sure.
 
“Inevitably when there are economic downturns, organisations focus on short term issues. One problem however is that when older workers are made redundant, unwritten business or technical knowledge walks out of the door too. When the recession bottoms out, business recovery may be more difficult if older workers with experience in cart loads have all disappeared.” added Chris Ball.