Is this indirectly ageist? (in a job advert)

[FuckingWonderwoman]

"This job is fully loaded and would suit someone with high energy levels."

[cozietoesie]

No. Do you think everyone goes 'off the boil' at - say - 35?

[HecatePropylaea]

Only if you think that older = slower.

[GrumpyCynicalBastard]

They're saying, without saying, don't bother unless you're young, look good in lycra and can work 18 out of 24 hours without hassle! I know this because I used to know someone who placed ads like this, worded that way, for exactly the reason suspected by the OP!

[ScaryHairyMcSweary]

My ex Gmil is 80 and has higher energy levels than I have ever had.

[TheFarSide]

What is the job? There might be an argument that it is indirect discrimination against older people (or people with medical conditions for that matter) if it's an office job and they want someone who can do lots of free overtime.

[TessCowDirect]

Anybody who things young = high energy levels have not met my teenagers.

[TessCowDirect]

*thinks

[edam]

'fully loaded'? WTF does that mean? Clearly an employer who doesn't have a clue how to use their own language, but beyond that? (Unless it's an application to be a gun...)

[TheNebulousBoojum]

No, are you being ageist by assuming that an older person wouldn't fit those specs?

[TheNebulousBoojum]

'Anybody who things young = high energy levels have not met my teenagers'


How true!

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Grumpy - just because you worked with someone who placed ads like this, it doesn't mean that all ads like this mean that. You don't even know what the job is?? It could be for a young apprentice boiler fitter.

No, on it's own it is not ageist, they are just making it very clear that if you want a job where you can sit on your bum all day, this isn't for you. Other wording may make their reasoning more clear. If they are wanting a waitress then Grumpy might be right, if they want an apprentice they might want someone with a bit of get up and go rather than someone just loafing about, if they are looking for an accountant - it's just plain weird

[edam]

Grumpy admits she used to place ads with similar phrasing because her employer wanted young people.

Tess about teenagers!

[edam]

It might be arguable that it's against disability discrimination laws as well. If someone has MS, for instance...

[FuckingWonderwoman]

I am the older person and currently having a run-in with my organisation about ageism and the inability of older people (older people = over 45) to pick up jobs which they are quite capable and have the experience to do, as these jobs always go to younger people.

It's an office job, at quite a senior level, running a large-ish team.

I was also thinking, would it not discriminate against people who, while perfectly capable of doing the job, might not have huge energy levels all the time, due to something like MS?

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Oh and if they are looking for a nanny, it translates as 'My kids are right little sods and are out of control and I expect you to cook, clean, tidy & iron whilst dealing with that'

[squeakytoy]

but what is the point of not mentioning in the job spec that you need someone who is fit and energetic..

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Oh God, I'd never accept a senior management position advertised like that. I'd be grateful that the ad had given me the heads up on what twats they were so I didn't waste my time!

[TessCowDirect]

Older people probably have more sense than using a term like fully loaded.

[edam]

Saying you need someone who is fit is discriminatory against disabled people. The employer is making an assumption that disabled people would not be able to do the job, when it is perfectly possibly that they might. You have to allow people to apply and explain how they would do the job, not assume that anyone over 25 is unable to meet your requirements.

[FuckingWonderwoman]

I'm inclining towards your point of view, Chipping!

Squeaky - how much energy and fitness is required to do an office job - largely shuffling paper and staring at a computer screen, and managing a large number of people? I think I would have gone for asking for experience of managing large teams rather than energy levels. OK to ask for someone fit and energetic to be eg a personal trainer, but an office job? No.

[TessCowDirect]

It would put me off the job too ChippingIn

I expect whoever wrote that does "gun-fingers"

[kinkyfuckery]

I was also thinking, would it not discriminate against people who, while perfectly capable of doing the job, might not have huge energy levels all the time, due to something like MS?

Why is it discriminatory to want someone capable of doing the job, to fill the job?

[StuntGirl]

To be fair I like job adverts that are written in a style like that because its a really good heads up that they're probably twats and to be avoided.

I wouldn't say its ageist. I'd agree maybe you're being a bit ageist thinking older people don't have much energy?

[FuckingWonderwoman]

I think you could perfectly well fill the job without having "high energy levels", Kinkyfuckery...

[quirrelquarrel]

No, 'course not.

But what I do regularly boil over about is the "if you're fortunate enough to look under 21" signs everywhere- wtaf??

To be honest, all job applications discriminate to some extent- people with 2.1s are more welcome than people with 3rds- by extension you could draw the conclusion that smarter people are more welcome- so what? It has to be there somewhere. It's true that people with MS would be unlikely to do some jobs as well as people without it. It's a debilitating illness- that includes things like some job opportunities, sadly.