PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF WORKPLACE-BASED AGE DISCRIMINATION IN AUSTRALIA

Abstract

The Australian Human Rights Commission in 2011 appointed an Age Discrimination Commissioner who has conducted widely publicized campaigns to improve attitudes to ageing and combat ageism. This paper examines perceptions and experiences of age discrimination in the workplace among Australians aged 18+ years, with a focus on those aged 55+ years. Data are from a representative national sample of adults in the Australian Attitudes to Ageing (AAA) study conducted as a component of the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AuSSA) in 2015–16 (n=1211). Results show that overall 46% of people perceived age discrimination to be common in Australia. Participants believed that compared to younger workers, older workers (55+ years) were more likely to be made redundant (82%), less likely to be promoted (72%), and more likely to have difficulty adapting to change (59%). The majority disagreed that they were less productive than younger workers (74%). In regards to experiencing age discrimination, younger people (18–24 years), were more likely to report age as a factor in being turned down for a position (23%), being treated with disrespect (53%) and being ignored (41%). Significant differences were found in terms of age and gender, for example, more women reported they had been ignored (31%) and treated with disrespect (30%). The findings are interpreted in the context of Government policies, demonstration projects, and other interventions intended to maintain workforce participation and increase self-funded retirement as responses to population ageing.