In honor of the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a public meeting recently to hear views on the continuing challenges older workers still face today.
The hearing featured testimony from five panelists — notably, none of whom represented employers — who offered their perspectives on perceived barriers to employment faced by older workers, including discriminatory recruiting practices, age-based harassment, and mandatory retirement programs.
In her opening remarks, EEOC Acting Chair Victoria Lipnic stated that “outdated assumptions about age and work deprive people of economic opportunity and stifle job growth and productivity.” She expressed hope that the hearing would provide an opportunity to develop strategies to eliminate the challenges faced by older workers. That said, she gave no indication of what follow-up action, if any, the EEOC plans to take other than to announce the launch of a new website designed to provide the public with additional information about the ADEA and the agency’s efforts to fight age discrimination.
Copies of the panelists’ statements as well as other information about the June 14, 2017, meeting are available here.
Members of the Equal Employment Advisory Council (EEAC) can read more here.