And the sign said long haired freaky people need
not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went
in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine upstanding young
man, I think you’ll do
So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh,
me working for you(© 1970, 2002 Five Man Electrical Band)
Never wanted to land a job mainly because I was a woman. Don’t want to lose one now because of age bias either. The above lyrics were part of the movement years ago fighting discrimination based on appearance and I wish it were so easy now to tuck the wrinkles "up under my hat" just to make sure that I’m not getting a job because I’m not qualified for it, rather than any other reason.
I tend to discount any allegations of age discrimination with the same attitude I took decades ago towards sex discrimination; if you’re good, they’ll want you regardless. But I’m hearing more horror stories and whispers that it’s difficult to ignore some of the signs. A young girl, likely a teen student herself, without a word takes my application and nods that she’ll give it to the proper party. Why do I doubt it? Why did the giggles I heard as I walked away make me wary?
Somehow I’d still rather believe it’s my ineptitude that keeps me out of the running. If I thought otherwise, I’d likely be tempted to test the system and I really would rather not know.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
My father has been the COO/VP of his company since 1990, so when the CEO retired a couple of years ago my father should have been the natural choice, right? Wrong. They wanted someone younger. They wanted someone who couldn’t retire whenever they wanted. (My father might be 66 but he also has a ten-year-old son, so it is safe to say he isn’t going to retire.) So to get someone from beneath my father for the job they had to move his job and red-line his salary. He can never make more than he was making in 2005, no matter how well the company does in the future. Too bad everyone treats “old people” like shit, because my father (and I’m not just saying this because he is my father, but rather from experience) is the hardest working person that business has ever seen.
And while I am ranting: I am not exactly a fan of John McCain- but I’m not sure he should be discounted just because of his age.
Age is a sore spot for me, even if I am still young.
I’ve never heard of red-lining but it sure sounds illegal to me! Unfortunately, your dad can’t fight back without putting his job in even more serious jeopardy.
I’m glad you are taking an interest now in this, Katie; maybe if more young folks did, things will be more fair for you when you hit that age.