Have you ever heard …

“Are you sure you can handle this job? It takes a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and we are looking for someone with career potential.”

“You don’t need this training program. At your age, what would the benefit be?”

“We’re looking for a more mature candidate to handle this job”

“Students are noisy and unreliable tenants.”

Comments like these may show ageism – which means making assumptions based on labels and attitudes about age. Young people and older persons can experience ageism. Ageism also results from looking at and designing society based on the needs of either younger or older people, without looking for ways to include to all people, regardless of age.

You can face discrimination at any time in your life, and certain age groups tend to face different kinds of discrimination.

You are protected from age discrimination

The Ontario Human Rights Code protects people from discrimination under the ground of age. The Code defines age as 18 years or older. However, persons age 16 or older are also protected from discrimination in housing if they are not living with their parents. This means that people cannot discriminate against you because of your age where you work or live, or when providing services.

Some special programs and benefits, such as seniors’ discounts or youth employment programs, deal with genuine age-related needs. Outside of these types of programs, it may be age discrimination when you are treated unfairly because of your age.

As a person over 18

You have the right to be offered the same chances in employment as everyone else. You cannot be denied a job, training or a promotion, or forced to retire, because of your age. With very few exceptions, mandatory retirement is not allowed Ontario.

You have the right to the same level of services as everyone else, such as medical treatment and other health care.

If you are an older person, you can expect landlords or housing providers to adapt living spaces or modify housing policies (for example, to allow you to transfer to a more suitable unit) to meet your age-related needs unless it would be an undue hardship.

As an employer, the College

• cannot refuse to hire, train or promote people because of their age.
• unfairly target older workers, or other age groups, when it comes to reducing staff or reorganizing.
• and must make sure that the workplace is free from discrimination, is inclusive, and respects and supports the needs of all its workers, including older employees.

For additional information, please see the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy.

Policy_on_discrimination_against_older_people_because_of_age