Age Discrimination

Discrimination, whether it is based on age, sex, or race, is an example of unfair treatment that may lead to inequities. The term age discrimination is used to describe any situation in which an individual has been treated in an unfair or different way or in which actions have been taken to deny or limit an individual’s opportunities because of his or her age. The term is predominantly applied to older adults, but ageism is sometimes used to describe prejudice against younger age groups (such as adolescents and young adults).

Age discrimination may be direct (treating someone less favorably because of age) or indirect (criteria in a job description that puts an individual at a disadvantage because of age) and can occur at both the institutional ...