Become loud!
Campaign against age discrimination at work: “You look old without us”
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In her early 20s she lacks experience, in her 30s she might become pregnant and from her mid-40s onwards she is invisible: being a woman also means experiencing disadvantage. Because of gender, but also because of age. A campaign wants to change that.
Ah yes…women would also like to earn money. But you often don’t want to pay them as well as men, nor hire them to positions of equal status or promote them. One reason for this: her age.
Too young, too capable of childbearing, too old
Women fresh out of training or university in their 20s often hear that they are still too young to take on responsibility. A few years later, with more experience, there is the threat of starting a family and pregnancy, which is logically followed by the phase where the children are small . But once they grow up, women have already become invisible in the labor market.
It is precisely the women who now want to get started again, who are in their mid-40s, rich in experience, knowledge and expertise, looking for new challenges, who want to further their education and achieve something. However, they are often not even invited to job interviews unless they receive an answer. The time it takes to be taken seriously on the job market is therefore short.
Not hiring women hurts the economy
The publicist and head of the online magazine “Palais F*luxx” Silke Burmester thought that there were enough reasons to finally raise the voice and raise awareness for women 47+ and started the campaign on March 1st “Without me you would look old”. In doing so, she wants to raise awareness for the approximately 11.5 million women in Germany who are currently between 40 and 59 years old.
The campaign also receives support from the Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination Ferda Ataman: “Women in their mid-40s do not need anti-aging tips or supposed compliments. They need an environment that values them and does not discriminate against them. Unfortunately, more than 700 cases from the consultation show the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency: “Women in this age group are still often disadvantaged,” she said on Thursday in Berlin at the start of the campaign. “Women are not hired because of their age, are passed over for promotions or are ‘overlooked’ for further training. This is not only discriminatory, it is damaging to our economy. The staff shortage costs us billions every year. Companies are well advised to involve women more closely from their mid-40s onwards and avoid age discrimination “Because without them our labor market looks old.”
Age discrimination – does this also apply to men?
Age discrimination is not just a women’s issue; men also find it more difficult to find a job as they get older. However, the circumstances are often different. “The work biography usually looks different than that of women. He usually had much better opportunities for advancement, earns better, doesn’t have the child career setback. In addition, older men are viewed much more positively. They are considered mature, experienced. These are the seniors , who are valued for what they bring with them. Older women are seen as worn out. There is a very big discrepancy in the way older men and women are read, which in itself is discriminatory.” explains Silke Burmester in an interview with tagesschau24.
Since taking office, the Independent Federal Commissioner has placed particular emphasis on the issue of age discrimination. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 14 percent of 45 to 54 year old women experience discrimination in the workplace. That is more than in any other age group.
It is therefore important not only to sensitize the economy to the potential that is being wasted. At the same time, companies also need to be sensitive to the fact that older employees need a different working environment than young ones in order to do the best possible work, says Burmester.
Sources used: Tagesschau.de, antidiskriminierungsstelle.de