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Age Discrimination

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Comments

  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,242 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    I was asked this in the last 3 interviews I had, I must look really young, or really old, but I was like wtf ..."I'm not sure that's relevant..."

    It's not and they are not allowed to ask either.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    Itzy wrote: »
    I have psoriasis, a skin condition. They refused on those grounds. So maybe on the grounds of a disability, which is not in anyway, a disability.

    no i know what it is, sorry i was asking what did they say to you when they said we're not giving you the job, you didnt pass the medical because of your psoriasis... because...

    i dunno lets say it was a food business, the skin could be aggravated by the gloves you have to wear or

    it was a clean room environment and they couldnt risk you being in the overalls etc without with exasperating the problem.

    or they mistakenly thought the skin might flake onto a mother boards fr something ridiculous like that...

    what reason did they say for not giving you the job like? i was asking coz i cant see any reason why it would effect you doing most roles i can think of...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,492 ✭✭✭stoplooklisten


    Itzy wrote: »
    It's not and they are not allowed to ask either.

    I know that, but it didn't stop them...but sure what proof would you have that they asked it?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    I know that, but it didn't stop them...but sure what proof would you have that they asked it?
    Some companies might be stupid enough to document everything that was said or record interviews and save them. In which case a data protection request could force them to provide this documentation to you.

    In my experience though, rigorous documentation and asking stupid interview questions don't go hand-in-hand. Companies that make a point of documenting everything also usually have sent interviewers on courses and will audit them regularly to ensure they're not being stupid.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,242 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    no i know what it is, sorry i was asking what did they say to you when they said we're not giving you the job, you didnt pass the medical because of your psoriasis... because...

    i dunno lets say it was a food business, the skin could be aggravated by the gloves you have to wear or

    it was a clean room environment and they couldnt risk you being in the overalls etc without with exasperating the problem.

    or they mistakenly thought the skin might flake onto a mother boards fr something ridiculous like that...

    what reason did they say for not giving you the job like? i was asking coz i cant see any reason why it would effect you doing most roles i can think of...

    It was a medical facility, but the role I was offered, would confine me to an office, as it was a Software Develop role.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    Itzy wrote: »
    It was a medical facility, but the role I was offered, would confine me to an office, as it was a Software Develop role.

    weird, poor management then. sorry that happened you but like you said you brush it off and move on...

    harsh.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,242 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    weird, poor management then. sorry that happened you but like you said you brush it off and move on...

    harsh.

    Oh I do, but that's not the worst that has been done or said to me. I started a role in Sligo a number of years back. I was brought into a managers office on day 1 and asked if I could request an earlier dermatology appointment to clear up my psoriasis, as it was making staff uncomfortable. I was wearing long clothing.

    Day 2, I was called back into the office and let go. I didn't take them to task for discrimination. I told the now Wife, who informed her Father and the news spread like wildfire, which was not my intention, but needless to say, they saw a significant dip in business for a while and staff turnover.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭2RockMountain


    It does sound like very clumsy phrasing rather than actual discrimination to me. If you want further advice, you could contact Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. And if you want to make a formal, legal complaint, contact the Workplace Relations.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    Itzy wrote: »
    Oh I do, but that's not the worst that has been done or said to me. I started a role in Sligo a number of years back. I was brought into a managers office on day 1 and asked if I could request an earlier dermatology appointment to clear up my psoriasis, as it was making staff uncomfortable. I was wearing long clothing.

    Day 2, I was called back into the office and let go. I didn't take them to task for discrimination. I told the now Wife, who informed her Father and the news spread like wildfire, which was not my intention, but needless to say, they saw a significant dip in business for a while and staff turnover.

    the best revenge is the accidental revenge hahahaa

    yeah ive been asked am i married, why not? youd have to ask the boyfriend that lads chuckle chuckle...

    the school i went to is well known as an all girls catholic ethos fee paying school for young ladyyyyddies... and was asked was a i practising catholic in one interview... did i think it was fair to go to a fee paying school did it give me an unfair advantage (eh wasnt my decision mate ask my dad...) thta guy obviously had a huge chip on his shoulder

    most of the time i dont think people realise they are asking, sometimes their making conversation but in this day and age you are leaving yourself wide open...

    most of the time i shake it off and just put it down to idiocy or inexperience but sometimes it does just happen by accident: sat in an interview a few weeks ago for a company i was consulting for the guy interviewing asks the generic opener to a women he's interview for a PA role:
    him: so tell me about yourself
    her:well im this age from here, have this many kids just finished a course in offcie admin etc etc
    him: oh cute what age are your kids ive two myself nightmares they are!
    her: oh yeah eh says their age
    him: oh starting school soon busy time anyway the course you did what modules etc etc

    totally harmless conversation she brought it up he asked out of interest... was shocked when i told him after he should have ignored it.


    if she came back the notes are there that he asked... he'd be ****ed.

    role was given to a male with no kids he had more experience and had used their internal system before.


    could have been very messy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭jamesdublin12


    They said:




    There are plenty of older people who have less experience, too. But no, they wanted a young one and are blatant about it.

    If they'd just picked someone with less expereince, they would have said:

    If was less experience experience say that abs that I was over qualified for the role. There could have been Lesa experienced people older. But they chose to say younger so age was a deciding factor and shouldn't have been.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    If was less experience experience say that abs that I was over qualified for the role. There could have been Lesa experienced people older. But they chose to say younger so age was a deciding factor and shouldn't have been.

    to be fair they didnt say age was a deciding factor, with all due respect you are picking up on the one part of the message and not taking into account the rest of it.

    yes they chose to say it and chose stupidly by saying it but that doesn't mean it was age discrimination.


    "we decided to opt for someone quite young with much less experience, who we felt could grow into the position."

    the said they opted for someone who is ''quite young'', not younger than you... it may be a coincidence that they are younger than you, quite young is subjective.


    with ''much less experience'' that is a direct comparison to you.


    if it was phrased: we decided to opt for someone younger than you with much less experience, because we believe young people are better at the role than people your age''

    then id offer to assist you with the claim myself...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭jamesdublin12


    let me leave this here.
    Indirect discrimination occurs when practices or policies that do not appear to discriminate against one group more than another actually have a discriminatory impact. It can also happen where a requirement that may appear non-discriminatory adversely affects a particular group or class of persons


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭jamesdublin12


    to be fair they didnt say age was a deciding factor, with all due respect you are picking up on the one part of the message and not taking into account the rest of it.

    yes they chose to say it and chose stupidly by saying it but that doesn't mean it was age discrimination.


    "we decided to opt for someone quite young with much less experience, who we felt could grow into the position."

    the said they opted for someone who is ''quite young'', not younger than you... it may be a coincidence that they are younger than you, quite young is subjective.


    with ''much less experience'' that is a direct comparison to you.


    if it was phrased: we decided to opt for someone younger than you with much less experience, because we believe young people are better at the role than people your age''

    then id offer to assist you with the claim myself...


    they did. they said that decided to go with someone younger. they didnt say the girl/boy that we employed was actually less experienced and younger. even at that they are mentioning age when it shouldnt be brought up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,260 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    they did. they said that decided to go with someone younger. they didnt say the girl/boy that we employed was actually less experienced and younger. even at that they are mentioning age when it shouldnt be brought up.


    This is where you are getting confused. They can mention age all they want. There is no law against that. Age, young and old is a wonderful thing. They can't discriminate against age. I've yet to see anything that suggests age discrimination


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 831 ✭✭✭Diziet


    It is stupid wording, and yes, of course it is discriminatory, and would land them in hot water were the OP to make a formal complaint.'We chose another candidate' is fine, 'we chose a younger candidate' is not. It indicates that age was part of the decision making. Whether they meant it that way or not is irrelevant.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,324 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    This is why the half of Ireland who is out looking for jobs don't get feedback. OP the role was clearly too junior for you & you didn't suite either it or ghem team you would be working in as they were probably also all young & a different mindset & at a different point & attitude in their career. I used work for a (fabous) big multinational - all young, lots of craic & going out to gigs after work & sessions - it was a serious sounding job & 'we' were systems developers, IT, product development - sounded good on paper but the place was like college - almost everyone young, just graduated or a few years out. The older people still stand out - totally lost & out of the team scene & it really affected the flow of the creative process & development process when they were so out of synch with everyone elses mindset & tried to insist on old practices & atypical behaviours & outlooks. You may have really needed or wanted this job but they are telling you in a nice way you won't fit with what they have & the job is too junior for you. That's not just a number - age - its also team fit, outlook, energy ( willingness to put with photocopying/junior role trivia & be energised & happy) and attitude - consider they've been honest , liked you or they wouldn't have been so open & honest & move on. Look for more senior roles move on & up with dignity.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭2RockMountain


    I used work for a (fabous) big multinational - all young, lots of craic & going out to gigs after work & sessions - it was a serious sounding job & 'we' were systems developers, IT, product development - sounded good on paper but the place was like college - almost everyone young, just graduated or a few years out. The older people still stand out - totally lost & out of the team scene & it really affected the flow of the creative process & development process when they were so out of synch with everyone elses mindset & tried to insist on old pracxtices & atypical behaviours & outlooks.
    Yeah, sure what would all those damned old fogies with all their years of practical experience, emotional intelligence and knowledge of how to get things done in organisations know about it anyway?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,324 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    Yeah, sure what would all those damned old fogies with all their years of practical experience, emotional intelligence and knowledge of how to get things done in organisations know about it anyway?


    Well - you said it - old fogies!!!
    Quick - lets run to the UN & Human Rights Comission!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭2RockMountain


    Well - you said it - old fogies!!!
    Quick - lets run to the UN & Human Rights Comission!

    I'd bet a fiver that the old fogies would know how to create a work environment that didn't depend on how many pints you drank in the pub on Friday night to do good work. But it seems that some of the younger, smaller minds didn't manage to grasp that.


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