Age discrimination violates employment law in Missouri and Kansas, but it can be difficult to know if it’s happening to you. The following five signs can help you determine if your employer is discriminating against you due to your age.
1. Your employer questions your “culture fit”
If you suddenly begin to hear that you aren’t a good fit for the workplace culture, it can signal age discrimination. If these comments come with many new hires of young workers while older employees are getting buyout offers, your employer may have decided to reduce costs by hiring a younger workforce.
2. You see a sudden drop in performance reviews
If your performance reviews suddenly fall off a cliff while your objective performance metrics remain the same, your employer could be attempting to create a justification for dismissal. Health insurance for older employees becomes increasingly expensive and can provide a strong incentive to lower the average age of workers.
3. You stop getting raises
Missing a raise during one pay period isn’t a sure sign of ageism, but if your job performance remains strong and you stop getting raises that have been typical in the past, you could be in trouble. This signal can be hard to spot because it’s hard for most people to be objective about their work. However, if you’ve maxed your firm’s pay scale for your position, failure to get any further raises may not signify ageism.
4. Your boss starts asking when you plan to retire
A boss asking about your retirement plans is a strong sign your employer is anxious to push you out the door. Make it clear that you have no plans to retire and expect to continue working for many more years. It’s best to have this conversation in front of another employee. You should also email your boss about your intention to keep working.
5. You get a lot of unpleasant assignments
One undesirable job isn’t a sign of age discrimination. But, if you suddenly find a disproportionate number of “dirty jobs” on your plate, it can be a sign your employer is trying to get you to resign.