to think age discrimination is still happening when applying for jobs?

[murphyslaws]

Why does every application form for a job have date of birth somewhere on it. Either as a seperate sheet or as part of application.

You have to say age, gender, disability and sexual preference.

You have the option of saying "would rather not say", except it seems for age.

I worked for a firm that had these applications and know that we ignored the ones where people refused to say, and that was for the council.

My hubby is 46 and every job he applies for has the right skills but is looked over each time.

AIBU to think that these questions should not form any part of application. If someone is disabled then at the point of booking interview (after being selected) they can request an interview taking into consideration the disability i.e. Down stairs or wheel chair accessible.

What the heck does age or Sex or sexual preference make to someone being able to do a job. It seems that it's a legal way around the rules!

[EponasWildDaughter]

needs sometimes i think 'zany and fun' translates as 'will be paid minimum wage and treated like shite basically' as well. Companies don't want to pay for more than the minimum for a body doing what it's told in a uniform, and they can get away with that employing 18 - 21s.

[Linnet]

My husband would like to change his job. Most jobs advertised ask for you to hand in a CV, you don't always get to fill in application forms anymore.
Although his age is not on his CV they can work out how old you are by your work experience/qualification dates.
He hands in CV's and never hears back and we feel that it's because he's in his 40's. They want young people so they can pay them less it's that simple.

[wasonthelist]

Yanbu. Ageism certainly exists.

Interestingly, the way they do this in the USA is by not asking for any data at all on race/religion etc. Not saying they are right or wrong.

[tinyterrors]

My dad had the same when the company he worked for went bust in the recession. He was an HGV driver and was applying for the same job he'd just left but was constantly told he was too old. It took him 4 years to get another job despite applying for hundreds of jobs in that time.

It's only going to get worse for those working in manual and retail type jobs. When my dh can no longer physically do his job in construction I don't know where he'd be able to get a job, he's got no qualifications or experience in any other type of work.

Contracting won't be an option for millions of manual labourers once they're physically unable to work in their current jobs.

[PedantPending]

I work freelance and do not have my dob on my cv. As a pervious poster said, anyone competent can work out my age, roughly, by my experience and qualifications. I have no problem giving people my date of birth once I have a firm offer or have had an interview.
I have never encountered "ageism" and I am 57 now. However, just after I got married, aged 41, I had a period where no offers were forthcoming and I had "married" on my cv. Once I took it off, there were immediate bites at my skills and experience again.
Luckily I don't look my age, so I could be anywhere between 35 and none of your business ;-)