“My boss refused to promote me because of my age” 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Age Discrimination in the Workplace

No two workplaces are the same. From office politics to the vending machine selection, there’s plenty of scope for variation. But one thing Gen Z workers ought to keep in mind, no matter where they find themselves, is whether they’ll benefit from sharing their age with colleagues – at least, that’s according to one careers expert.

Age Discrimination in the Workplace

While we might typically think of age discrimination as something that only impacts those at the older end of the scale, Shola West, now 24, a Gen Z Marketing Freelancer, Content Creator and Careers Advocate, is speaking out to warn other junior members of staff about the dangers of sharing their age at work. Her viral video, in which she recalls the time she was denied a promotion because of her age, has since been watched more than half a million times – and has amassed hundreds of comments from others sharing similar cautionary tales.

While age discrimination is illegal in the United Kingdom, unfortunately it does still occur – whether you’re an older or younger employee. Here’s how to deal with it if it’s happening to you…

“My boss refused to promote me because of my age”

Confident and self-assured, Shola West was 20 when sharing her age with her employer backfired. When approaching her boss to ask for a pay rise, she did everything by the book. West discussed her approach with her mentors and followed their advice, creating a spreadsheet of her achievements, before arranging the formal sit-down. She was prepared – but not for having her age weaponized against her.

“She [my boss] was just like, ‘At the end of the day when I was your age, I had way less money than you, and I survived,” West claims, when explaining why her request was rejected. “She couldn’t fathom that she could give me any more despite inflation.”

West, understandably, was left feeling upset and confused. She did approach HR, but the issue was never resolved. The issue then contributed to her decision to leave her job, she says.

“I never did get a promotion. I never did get a pay rise in that team. So, I then ended up moving companies because it wasn’t being sorted out, and I felt like I had no tangible feedback. I think that is what was more hurtful at that age,” West tells Cosmopolitan. In her video, she explains that she felt other microaggressions were at play during her conversation with her boss, too.

She tells us: “It’s different when your manager is saying to you that you’re not quite ready yet, but they then give you the opportunity to explain what you’ve done and what they need from you to hit these goals and objectives. [They should say ]‘I’m going to support you in getting there’. But she didn’t even create that space to give me the opportunity.”

Frustratingly, West is not alone. She has heard a multitude of stories from other workers with their own negative experience relating to age. It’s a topic that really resonates when she shares career advice through her Instagram and on TikTok as @allthingsmediasis.

So, what’s the deal with UK law?

Is age discrimination illegal?

To be clear, your boss should not discriminate against you because of your age. It is illegal.

Katherine Maxwell, head of employment law at Moore Barlow tells Cosmopolitan: “An employer cannot make decisions purely based on age because age is a protected characteristic covered by the Equality Act. This means, for example, they can’t make decisions about promotions or pay purely on the basis of a person’s age.”

Issuing specific advice about raises, Abigail Maino, a partner in the employment team at law firm DMH Stallard, adds: “Employers who decide that certain employees should have a pay increase based on their age, run the risk of that decision being discriminatory.

“The decision not to award a pay increase based on age could be discriminatory if the employee can show that a real or hypothetical comparator who was older, was or would have been awarded a pay increase. It is unlikely an employer could justify this difference in treatment.”

If you do feel you’ve been discriminated against, then there are options available to you. Maxwell explains, “If a person feels they have been discriminated against because of their age, they should raise a grievance with their employer who will then investigate the issue they are complaining about. If the issue isn’t resolved to their satisfaction they may be able to bring an employment tribunal claim against their employer.”

Should I tell my boss my age?

If you’re now wondering whether or not you want to share your age with your office, the choice is yours. But it’s worth mentioning that when asked, West recommends people ought to think carefully.

In her viral TikTok, she reasons: “If you’re a young person in the workplace and you’ve got a decent salary or you’ve got a decent job title or you’re supported, [if] people like you, you’ve got great opportunities, [and] you’re thriving in the workplace, a lot of people older than you will be jealous. In their eyes, they feel like they’ve worked so hard to get to where they are and then you come in as this young person and you’re almost where they’re at.”

Of course, sometimes your colleagues will already know your age and it goes without saying that there will be colleagues of all ages who’ll be great supporters and champions for you on your career journey. Perhaps you started as an apprentice or

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• SDG 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 8.5: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) employed and in education or training
• Indicator for SDG 10.3: Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

Based on the article, the issue of age discrimination in the workplace is connected to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The specific targets under these SDGs that can be identified are SDG 8.5 and SDG 10.3. The article highlights the experience of a young worker who was denied a promotion and pay rise due to her age, indicating a lack of equal opportunity and fair treatment in the workplace. The indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards these targets are the proportion of youth employed and in education or training (SDG 8.5) and the proportion of population reporting discrimination or harassment based on prohibited grounds (SDG 10.3).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: cosmopolitan.com

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