Age discrimination

Theoretically the word can refer to the discrimination against any age group but age discrimination usually comes in one of three forms: discrimination against youth, discrimination against those 40 years old or older , and discrimination against elderly people.

In many countries, companies more or less openly refuse to hire people above a certain age despite the increasing lifespans and average age of the population. The reasons for this range from vague feelings that younger people are more "dynamic" and create a positive image for the company, to more concrete concerns about regulations granting older employees higher salaries or other benefits without these expenses being fully justified by an older employees' greater experience