This research examines the issue of job discrimination against the aged in the United States. The contention of this research is that job discrimination against the aged does exist, and that it is not only inequitable for older persons, but costly to employers.
The average expected life span in the United States increased from 70 years in 1960 to 79 years in 1989 (Palmore, 1989). The expected life span for women remained greater than that for men. The expected life span is applicable to indivi duals born in the year for which the statistic is determined not for those individuals already present in the population. Similar life expectancy increases occurred, however, with respect to all age groups in the American population. Thus, the absolute numbers of elderly individuals in the population is increasing, and may be expected to continue increasing for years to come.
Between 1970 and 1980, the total population of the United States grew by 11.3 percent (Paxton, 1989). That segment of the population aged 65 years old or older, however, increased by 27.5 percent (Bureau of the Census, 1986). The fastest
1 2growing population segment is the 65 years old and older group. Thus, the proportion of the elderly in the population, as well as their absolute numbers, is increasing, and may be expected to continue to increase. In the last years of the twentieth century, the United States will become much grayer.
As the foregoing information demonstrates, problems asso ciaed with aging are, and may be expected to continue to be, significant in the sociology of American society.
Ageism, as is true of sexism or racism, is a denial of rights or opportunities to a specific group of people on the basis of a characteristic (1) over which individuals included within the group have no control, and (2) which has no bearing, in most instances, on their abilities to successfully partici pate in and contribute to the activities from whi...