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3 signs of age discrimination in the workplace

You want your employer to treat you fairly when you go to work. But as you get older, you may find that your employer and coworkers treat you differently.

According to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, it is illegal to discriminate against anyone over the age of 40 in a workplace setting. Although age discrimination is illegal, you may be a victim of this form of mistreatment if you notice one of the following signs.

1. Your employer assigns you undesirable duties

Job reassignment to tasks that no one else wants to do is one sign that your employer wants to get you to quit or is trying to replace you. You may get reassigned to these unfavorable work tasks suddenly and without any prior warning.

2. You stop getting raises

You may be the victim of age discrimination if you no longer receive increases in your pay. This may occur even when you perform well and everyone except you receives a raise.

3. You overhear comments about your age

If your employer inquires about when you want to retire, even in a casual conversation, this is a sign that replacing your position could be on his or her mind. Age discrimination may also occur if you overhear your coworkers making unkind comments about your age and how it affects your role in the workplace.

The signs of age discrimination can be subtle at first and start to escalate over time. Record any conversations you have or comments you overhear that indicate age discrimination is a problem in your workplace.