Age Discrimination in the Job Market

What place is there in the world for a fifty-four year old divorced woman who has no prospects for a job and no husband to support her? How will she survive? What solution is available for women who need to work to support themselves and their young children-provided she had children in her late thirties? How does society offer support and comfort for people such as these?

In the job market, the woman over fifty is treated as if she is stupid or worse yet-someone who needs to be "watched" as if, any moment now, she will suddenly have a senior moment and forget what she is doing. For women who return to school for their degree at the age of fifty have few prospects for improving her lot in life. For all of the effort she puts into her studies to graduate near the top of her class, she is degraded by prospective employers who do not take her seriously in the job market.

During interviews for part-time employment, I have witnessed employers who take great pleasure in commenting what a grand gesture returning to school is for older women, asking all sorts of probing questions as to the nature of their studies, why a certain area is chosen rather than another, what grand respect they have for such women with children. But do they hire them? No.

Personally, I have been on interviews where prospective employers have attempted to discourage me from the position for which I was applying. In one such interview for the position of administrative assistant in a construction firm, my prospective employer refused to show me the area where I would be working, refused to discuss duties of the job-even though he had no doubt that I met the qualifications-and then told me "Good Luck" as he bid me good day, adding what an excellent resume I possess and did I really know how to use the computer? Needless to say, this was not the type of person I would want to have as my boss.

During interviews, I have witnessed a young male doctor tell their interviewees that they really would prefer someone they could "get along with." I had no doubt whatsoever that what he really wanted was some young thing he could chase around the exam table-after hours-while his wife and children were keeping his dinner warm in the oven. In one instance, without even asking me for my credentials or glancing at my resume, the interviewer-a man-- told me he had no intention of wasting my time while he showed me the door. Once again, this was someone of whom respect was just a word in the dictionary. Besides, playing babysitter should be no woman's ambition.

Then, there is the "family" business where the wife works along with the daughter, son-in-law-who did not graduate from high school-two cousins, and a bookkeeper who is the wife's best friend. Anyone outside of the family is a fifth wheel. Such a one cannot expect fair treatment from their employer. He is too busy trying to keep his family happy. Nepotism at its most vile-the sure sign of a business on the verge of collapse.

For the woman in the position of accepting short-term assignments for an employment agency has no support whatsoever. In many of such positions, the agency "bids" for the dubious chance to offer clerical support at double wage-say $15 per hour-that the company pays the agency. The one who is working for the agency may receive $8-$9 an hour for the privilege of employment for a company who goes through "temps"-hiring and firing-while they search for the perfect replacement, usually someone who passes muster with the office scandalmonger who wants the position but lacks sophistication. She is out for pure revenge, offering her services to the temp like her new best friend, but in return all she has to offer is slander. Woe to the unsuspecting temp! Before she has been at her assignment for one week, her reputation has been sullied beyond repair, getting the boot because "we have men working here."

Often, the temp has no opportunity to face her accuser because the employment agency has left a message on her voice mail at home that her assignment has ended. With no chance to ask questions, the temp is at a loss to know what she may have done wrong or if there might have been a misunderstanding. If she is fortunate, she is able to contact the manager, giving him a better idea of the circumstances. Sometimes, the door is closed.

When women apply for positions in the job market for months on end without having one interview, sometimes the fault is in the resume. At other times, employers become daunted by the skills listed within the resume, telling themselves that, "Oh, she has a lot of experience-which is what we need-but I bet she'll want more than $10 an hour. Maybe we should keep on looking for someone else."

Now, what kind of employer uses that kind of logic? Prospective employers who use this type of logic are typically cheap-and not very bright. They want the best for the least, demanding their employees to work ten to twelve hours a day with no overtime and refusing to pay for their employees' insurance. They offer no benefits because they have deluded themselves into believing what a privilege it would be for any employee to be hired in their company without taking into consideration that may be quality education and experience counts for more than the average eighteen year old just out of high school who has never worked one day in her life.

Worst yet, the welfare system refuses to offer women support unless they have been unable to pay for food and medical care for so long that they are near starvation. They examine every little aspect of a person's life to see where the least amount of money is being given to the one in need, while conveniently forgetting that the person in real need is begging for mercy.

What has our country come to-to aid and abet age discrimination of women when all they want is to be able to support themselves, live a better life and provide for their children?
Instead, women today are treated worse than common criminals-they are not even given food or shelter. Criminals in jail have it better.