Eighty percent of all job advertisements specify an age range among the requirements. In the I T a special Law — the Age Discrimination in Employment Act — protects people from employment discrimination based on age. American employers can neither stipulate age preferenc- es nor ask candidates about their age or date of birth during interviews or at any other stage. This is also true of most European countries.
According to the Russian Constitution and labour code, everyone has the same right to realize their labour potential. According to the law employers do not have the right to reject an application on ac- count of the candidate’s age with the exception of pilots, astronauts, rescue workers, law-enforcement officers and other similar occupa- tions. In reality, however, the age of a candidate often plays a role in the recruitment process, and discrimination has always existed.
Large, successful companies avoid mentioning the preferred age of a candidate in a job advertisement. But all of them prefer a per- son under 45. Recruitment agencies have agreed that it is difficult for good specialists to find a job once they are more than 40–45 years old. But no company admits the real reason for passing over such a candidate.
“The employer who knows the law about discrimination and human rights will never mention this reason to the candidate”, said a consultant at Ancor's corporate clients department.
Such attitudes are illegal, but can be well-grounded. The ques- tion is whether it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks.
For example, in an IT company that has young staff who have in- formal relationships and common interests, a woman in her fifties with the required skills applying for a vacancy could create a dilemma.
“Of course she may be able to do everything that is needed in the project, but such a new employee will not fit into the team well, and her joining the staff could cause problems within the project”, said the General Manager of Arcadia.
Age discrimination can also be a factor in the jobs that include heavy physical work. Employers may not want to recruit an elderly person for such work due to the worker's health.
Not all reservations are well-founded, however.
For example, many employers are reluctant to offer a job to a woman of child-bearing age. Their explanation is that she will prob- ably soon take maternity leave. In such cases, candidates can take legal action against employers suspected of discrimination. But not every lawyer can prove that their client is right, and candidates may fear gaining a reputation as a confrontational worker. It takes a lot of nerve and demands strength of mind. Recruitment agencies advise candidates to spend their time and effort looking for a different job with a suitable corporate culture.
The shortage of qualified personnel, however, is forcing employ- ers to broaden the age requirements of candidates.
“Some consulting companies make it their practice to take on recent graduates of higher educational institutions who have no work experience. These former students are easily taught and do not have the disadvantage of having been trained to another company's cor- porate standards”, said the managing director of Inter Comp St. Pe- tersburg.
“Of course, only companies with a developed system of teaching and training and with a well-established corporate culture can afford to do so. Other employers have to take on ready talents whatever their age”, she said.
In addition, the population crisis is leading to a shortage of young employees and pushing up the average age of potential workers. In Eu- rope, employees in their fifties and sixties are valued no less than their younger counterparts. Experience has shown that companies that are able to overcome all age stereotypes and use opportunities to transfer experience to the younger generations will only gain from doing so.
But most long-term job hunters are still either young people with no experience or skilled people in their forties.
The task facing employers interested in creating effective teams is to organize production in such a way that experience and young enthusiasm work together for the same goal.
Words to be memorized:
To seek — искать
Generation — поколение
Balance –равновесие Employer — работодатель
Application — заявление о приеме на работу Rescue worker — спасатель
Recruitment agency — агентство по найму Skills — навыки, умения
Shortage — нехватка, дефицит Work experience — опыт работы Goal — цель
Child-bearing age — детородный возраст
Tasks:
1. Questions:
· What law protects American people from employment discrimination based on age?
· In what spheres have employers the right to reject an application on ac- count of the candidate’s age in Russia?
· Is it possible to teach “an old dog new tricks”?
· Why are many employers reluctant to offer a job to a woman of child- bearing age?
· What is forcing employers to broaden the age requirements of candi- dates?
2. Translate from Russian into English:
1) Работники более зрелого возраста являются ценным источником мудрости и опыта, которые они могут передать сотрудникам но- вого поколения.
2) В сферах космонавтики, службы спасения, авиации имеются воз- растные ограничения.
3) В компании IT очень молодой штат сотрудников, с неформаль- ными взаимоотношениями и общими интересами.
4) В сфере тяжелого физического труда оправданы возрастные огра- ничения при приеме на работу.
5) Некоторым компаниям удается преодолеть все возрастные сте- реотипы и использовать возможности передачи опыта молодому поколению, и от этого они только выигрывают.