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ADEA and Baby Boomers, Knowing Your
Rights
The first thing you have to know is what baby
boomers are and what
ADEA
is all about. First of all, baby boomers are people who were born during
the period of increased birth rate. In the United States, baby boomers
were born during the time after the World War II conflict and before the
Vietnam War. This means that there is more than one generation of baby
boomers during this period of time.
Today, baby boomers are now in the age of 40's to 50's. ADEA means Age
Discrimination in Employment Act. This means that it protects everyone
from age discrimination especially people who are in their 40's to 50's.
This means that if you are a part of the baby boomers population, you
have to realize that you still have your rights in the workplace. This
means that you shouldn't be a victim of unemployment just because of
your age.
Many people in their 40's and 50's find it hard to find a job in the
United States just because of their age. If this happens to you, you
should file a complaint in the
EEOC or the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission. In fact, more and more people are now
filing complaints about age discrimination in the workplace. The total
complaints from 1999 to 2002 have jumped up to 41 percent and are
continually increasing.
This is because many employers or companies today are hiring people by
not only basing on qualification but also basing on age. This means that
even if you are qualified to do the job than other applicants, the
chances for you to get hired by the company are slim just because you
were born in the baby boomers era.
Baby boomers were born on the post World War II era and before the
Vietnam War. This means that baby boomers came of age during the time
where they fought for civil rights in the United States. This will mean
that you, as a part of the baby boomers population, know well enough
about your rights as a citizen of the United States.
Age discrimination is one of the growing problems of the country today.
In the workplace, people who are in their 40s and 50s are being
discriminated by their coworkers and also by their employers. Some baby
boomers lost their jobs just because they were growing old and some are
alienated by fellow workers.
The EEOC administers the ADEA. You should know that since 1967, age
discrimination against workers who are in their 40s is prohibited and is
illegal. You should know that it is your right to have equal employment
opportunity.
Baby boomers today are considered to be a group of unhappy people.
Besides, they have the right to be unhappy. This is because aside from
the slow growth of the economy, high levels of layoffs are also
existent. The main targets of layoffs are people who are considered to
be part of the baby boomers era. This kind of policy is very unsettling
and can make anyone born in the baby boomers era cringe.
You have to realize the fact that the slow moving economy and age bias
has a connection. This means that when the opportunities go down, the
age discrimination goes up. It is important to remember that no one
should be discriminated about anything when it comes to employment.
People in the United States have suffered a lot of discrimination. Some
were discriminated because of their gender, some were discriminated
because of their race, some were discriminated because of their creed
and some were discriminated because of their age. All of these forms of
discrimination are deemed unethical and illegal. Under the EEOC and the
civil law in the United States, everyone should have an equal employment
opportunity regardless of gender, race, creed, and age.
This is why it is important to know your rights as a citizen. If you do
experience age discrimination, you should contact your nearest EEOC and
tell them about the discrimination you experienced when you were
applying for a job in a certain company or the age discrimination you
experienced when you got laid off from the job.
Remember your rights and you will never have to be a victim of age
discrimination. Always remember that ADEA and EEOC will be able to help
you with your problems in discrimination in the workplace.
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