As the technology field continues to grow, it would be reasonable to think that those with years of experience in this type of business would be able to gain employment. Some older job applicants in Michigan and across the country do believe, however, they are being passed over for those younger than them. The inability for numerous older, yet highly skilled, workers to obtain jobs with tech companies may have these applicants wondering if they are the victims of age discrimination. At least, that is what one individual believes after he was denied a job at Google.
At the age of 60, an educated and experienced programmer decided to apply for a software engineer position at Google. This job became known to him through a recruiter for the company. This individual is accusing the company of age discrimination after he was denied the job. Google is, of course, denying any wrongdoing in the matter.
The claims submitted by the plaintiff include that he was sought out by a recruiter for Google and that he was told he was a great candidate for the position. However, he believes that problems during the technical interview and Google’s average employee age are the reasons he did not get a job offer. According to a survey conducted by a compensation research company, it is believed that the average age of Google employees is currently 29.
Even though the outcome of this specific case has yet to be decided, it may have others who feel they have been placed in similar situations wondering if age discrimination was behind their inability to gain employment. Michigan residents who have been denied employment have every right to question why the position was not offered to them. While, yes, there are perfectly valid reasons not to hire someone, a person’s age should not limit his or her job prospects. If age discrimination is suspected, seeking legal remedies may be an appropriate course of action.
Source: computerworld.com, “Median age at Google is 29, says age discrimination lawsuit“, Patrick Thibodeau, April 23, 2015
