Even though employers are supposed to prevent it, people who are age 40 and older may experience discrimination in New Jersey. Sometimes, this bias may not even be conscious, or the discrimination might be subtle. There are certain steps they can take that might reduce the likelihood of being devalued in the workplace because of age.

For example, making sure to dress professionally and getting a contemporary haircut can be important in making a good first impression. This should be bolstered by staying current with technology and innovations in the industry. Older workers should still try to attend conferences, talk with industry leaders and read about what is happening in their field. At the same time, they should not expect to be automatically respected by their coworkers based on their age and experience. Instead, they should try to work with and learn from younger colleagues. There is a stereotype that older workers cannot handle change, so they should make an effort to demonstrate that this is not true.

As workers get older, they may want to try to avoid getting back on the job market since they could face discrimination while job hunting. However, this might also be a good time to acquire fresh skills and move into a new career.

The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 protects individuals over 40 against age discrimination. People are protected against discrimination based on a number of other factors as well, including religion, race, disability and national origin. Workers who think they are dealing with discrimination at work might want to talk to an attorney about their rights. The first step may be to find out the employer’s policy about discrimination and what the steps are supposed to be. If going through workplace channels is not satisfactory, the employee might want to seek legal solutions.