GHRO recently posted a blog about age discrimination and younger workers, and how Generation Y’s stereotypes unfairly prevent them from getting hired.  While no law protects young workers from ageism, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 protects employees over age 40 from traditional age discrimination.  Based on this law, the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission received 22,778 charges of age discrimination in 2009 alone, of which the commission resolved 20,529 and recovered over $72 million in monetary benefits for charging parties and other aggrieved individuals (not including monetary benefits obtained through litigation).  Age-related charges make up roughly one quarter of all discrimination charges filed with the commission.  Despite the number of age-related claims falling since 2008, ageism remains a potential problem for employers, particularly in this volatile economic climate.  So what is age discrimination and how can it be prevented?

Under the ADEA, older workers may not be discriminated against in any aspect of employment, including hiring, termination, wages, job duties, promotions, layoffs, training, and fringe benefits.  Even companywide policies that adversely affect applicants and employees over age 40 may be illegal if they are not based on a reasonable factor beyond age.  While those factors are controlled at the management level, the ADEA also protects older workers against harassment, which can be perpetuated by all levels of the business: supervisors, coworkers, even clients and customers.  Age-related harassment includes making age-related remarks.  Even if such remarks don’t seem to be serious, they can have a severe impact on older workers and can create a hostile work environment.

Training can help raise employee awareness of discrimination and can curtail such remarks.  It may surprise many employees to learn that extensive researched has shown no correlation between age and job performance.  In fact, a seasoned veteran can bring hard-earned experience and positive mentoring opportunities to the business.  Older workers typically show better judgment and care when performing their duties.  They are also less likely to arrive late to work, to be absent, or to quit.  To prevent age-related harassment, educate employees that all employment-related comments and actions should focus on job performance, not employee age.  Also post an anti-discrimination policy that includes harassment definitions, solutions, consequences, reporting processes, grievance procedures, and anti-retaliation language.

Such simple, proactive measures can go a long way toward eliminating ageism in the workplace.  The goal is to create an environment where employees of all ages feel welcomed, included, and valued.

Hiring human resources consultants is a great way to lift the burden from your current administrative staff.  A HRO (Human Resources Outsourcing) firm can supply experienced professionals to handle your company’s staff management needs from payroll and employee recruitment to benefits and policy manuals. They also ensure that you stay compliant with all relevant federal and state labor laws.

Human resources consultants offer many services to complement your existing HR policies or develop new ones:

• Payroll services are at the top of a human resource consultant’s offerings. It includes paycheck processing, tax filings, direct deposits, and year-end tax form processing.
• They can also obtain competitive rates for comprehensive benefits packages.
• A human resources consultant ensures 100% compliance with all federal and state laws.
• They create documentation for such policies as sexual harassment and minimum wage.
• To ensure the safety of the workplace and your employees, human resources consultants can develop risk management policies in accordance with OSHA regulations.

Human resources consultants: pros & cons
There are some pros and cons to hiring human resources consultants for your business. HRO firms offer consultants with years of experience, something a small or new business could benefit from. But some of the policies they implement can cost money and may only work for larger companies. You can make up some of those savings by bringing in consultants in lieu of a full-time HR director. However, you lose the personal attention in-house HR directors provide.

Also, when your organization anticipates big changes, a human resources consultant can help ease the process by detailing how it benefits the company. But they often need the help of in-house staff to directly respond to employee concerns and to gauge reaction throughout the company.

If you feel hiring a human resources consultant can benefit your HR processes, contact GHRO to receive a free quote, and learn how you can outsource you business.