What is age discrimination?

What are types of age discrimination?

There are two main types of age discrimination:

• Direct age discrimination happens when someone is treated less favourably because of their age or age group.

  For example, an older person may not be hired for a job because an employer assumes they are not good with technology.

• Indirect age discrimination happens when a rule or policy applies to everyone but unfairly affects people of a certain age or age group.

  For example, an employer may require a physical fitness test that older people are less likely to pass, even though that level of fitness is not necessary for the job.

Know your rights

Everyone has the right to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities, no matter their age.

If you experience age discrimination, you may want to raise it directly with the person or people involved. If it happens in the workplace, you can also discuss your concerns with a supervisor, manager, or human resources team member.

In Australia, the Age Discrimination Act 2004 makes it against the law to treat someone less favourably because of their age or age group in certain areas of public life.

These include:

• Employment: This includes hiring, firing, promotions, and training opportunities.
• Education: Schools and universities cannot treat students unfairly because of their age.
• Goods and services: Businesses must provide the same level of service to everyone, regardless of age.
• Accommodation: Landlords cannot refuse to rent a or sell property to someone because of their age.

The Commission regularly handles complaints about age discrimination.

You might also like

• Learn about our Age Discrimination Commissioner
• Learn how the media shapes perceptions on ageing