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Is there an age discrimination problem in the tech field?

On Behalf of | Jun 29, 2021 | Employment Law

In many industries in Florida and other states, there is a pattern of behavior in hiring and promotion practices that could rise to the level of discrimination. When it comes to age discrimination, hiring managers might pass over hiring someone due to fears that they won’t be able to keep up with the technical requirements of the job. The tech industry in particular has a problem with this, but it’s not easy to prove.

What does age discrimination in tech look like?

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Many times, age discrimination in the technology industry can simply mean being passed over for jobs. In the case of older workers who have been working in technology for a while, it can also mean getting passed over for promotions.

No hiring manager is going to say that they passed up an employee or potential employee based on their age, however. Instead, a hiring manager might say they passed up an employee due to:

– An employee’s energy
– Long-term concerns
– Concerns of flexibility

All of these phrases might be code for concerns over the person’s age if they are not paired with specific reasons. If an older employee is getting passed up for promotions due to a lack of synergy or concerns about how they’re keeping up with technology, then an employer needs to bring specific examples to the table of where this has been an issue before.

What are other contributing factors?

There are other factors that lead to age discrimination in the tech industry. A lot of tech startups are run by younger people in their 30s or below, which might impact their view of hiring on older people.

Age discrimination is often hard to prove early on in the hiring process, but it still happens. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against based on your age or a presumed ability, you may want to reach out to an attorney.