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Workers report age discrimination in tech industry

by | Aug 8, 2017 | Firm News, workplace discrimination |

Older Pennsylvania tech workers may face discrimination at work. The AARP conducted a survey in 2013 that found two-thirds of workers in that industry said they had experienced or seen age discrimination on the job. One recruitment platform found that tech workers 45 and older face limited opportunities in the workplace.

A class action lawsuit against Google for age discrimination has been joined by 269 people. The plaintiffs in the suit are software engineers over 40 who say they tried to get hired at Google and faced age discrimination. One of the plaintiffs said that a recruiter had said she had to include dates on her resume that showed her age and that she was not hired for a position as an engineer as a result.

Google says its policies guard against workplace discrimination based on age, but one judge argued that the policy was not sufficient to shield the company from allegations. Google was also sued for age discrimination in 2004. That lawsuit resulted in the company paying out an undisclosed amount in a settlement. Hewlett-Packard has also faced an age discrimination lawsuit, and there are accusations that in general, tech companies deliberately cultivate a youthful image and are disparaging toward older workers.

Workers who are 40 and over are protected against age discrimination by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Because workplace discrimination can be difficult to prove, people who believe they are being victimized in this fashion might want to talk to an attorney who can discuss how they might document the situation to build evidence. An employer might try to argue that actions taken against an employee were based on performance and not discriminatory. However, an employee might be able to show performance reviews or other evidence proving this was not an issue.