Since many women earn less than men, and women are more often part-time or temporary workers, their pension benefits are muchless than men's. Some of these barriers to fair employment may constitute age discrimination. It outlaws discrimination in recruitment, hiring, pay, benefits, training, promotion, job retention and other employment practices. You are not alone. Although many women feel they have blossomed in middle or old age, there are some people in our society who believe that a woman's value declines as she ages.
Some employers require women workers to meet youthfulness or physical attractiveness standards.
If these requirements exclude women 40 or over or are not equally applied to men, they may be illegal. Thousands of women workers 40 and over file charges of discrimination every year with their federal, state or local civil rights or fair employment practices agency to try to get equal treatment on the job. Allow younger workers certain benefits, such as flexible schedules, part-time work, job sharing and telecommuting, while denying such options to workers age 40 and over. Sex and race discrimination are also illegal. Today's older women grew up at a time when the law allowed exclusion of women from many different types of jobs.