IB Woman
Issue No. 12 - August/September 2003
Age Discrimination in the Workplace
Ignore at your Peril
For over six years, Linda Matthews has been the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity in South Australia. Equality is her business and through the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA) ensuring that workplaces are fair and equitable is a key area of her Commissions work. Tackling the issue of age discrimination in the workplace is about embracing the skill and wisdom of older workers and dealing with the unfair treatment arising from prejudices and stereotypes.
Compulsory retirement was abolished in South Australia from the 1st January 1994. The traditional stereotypes of retirement age were set in a different time. South Australia has an ageing population and is competing to both retain university graduates and to attract skilled migrants. The United States and Canada are proving more popular than Australia as they are perceived to be vibrant powerhouses with diverse migrant communities.
‘South Australia will have a severe labour shortage if business continues to deny the relevance and experience of older workers,’ stresses Linda Matthews. ‘There is real potential for a labour supply crisis unless barriers for older workers wishing to remain or re—enter the workforce are removed.’
Employers and employees must take equal responsibility for the discriminatory attitudes about peoples capacity that no longer are borne out by reality, says Linda. She suggests that older workers are receptive to learning in a way their predecessors were not. Further, people are living longer and healthier lives thus being more productive for longer.
‘Flexibility is a key issue here,’ advises Linda, ‘ and employers should look to retain good people by offering flexible hours and working conditions, providing the business can accommodate that. Employees must also ensure they polish and improve their skills so they remain viable workers.
Recruitment agencies are almost the meat in the employment sandwich as they place staff for their client, the empl...
