Although common, age discrimination is never okay. It’s something that occurs much more regularly than it should, both within workplaces and throughout our daily life. Elderly people are often made to feel like they’re worth less than their younger counterparts, and this can lead to major mental health problems.

Your first strategy for dealing with age discrimination should be to speak with your employer and/or HR managers. Make a formal complaint if necessary, and consider seeking legal advice from an employment lawyer if the problems aren’t dealt with.

In saying this, there are numerous strategies along with exercise, meditation, etc., you can use to maintain strong mental health in the face of discrimination. In the rest of this article, we’ve covered a few of these strategies, along with your main rights.

What Are My Rights if I’m a Victim of Age Discrimination

If you feel like you’re a victim of age discrimination, you have numerous rights. If you’re dealing with mental health issues caused by problems at work, you may have even more rights.

For starters, your employee has a responsibility to ensure age discrimination isn’t occurring in the workplace. If and when issues are reported, they need to be dealt with and resolved in a timely manner.

On top of this, you have a right to be:

  • Offered equal employment opportunities and pay as younger, equally-qualified employees.
  • Treated as equal during all work situations.
  • Included in workplace discussions and other social events.
  • Paid equally to other colleagues in similar positions.

In general, it’s illegal to discriminate against any employee for any reason.

What Should I Do if I’m Suffering Poor Mental Health as a Result of Age Discrimination?

Unfortunately, age discrimination can have significant negative effects on mental health and wellbeing. However, there are numerous strategies you can use to overcome these problems, including:

Using positive mental health techniques – Consider using techniques like deep breathing and meditation to ensure you remain in a positive state of mind at all times.

Consulting a psychologist – There’s nothing weak about seeking help from a psychologist if you’re suffering from any form of mental illness. Rather than trying to deal with health problems on your own, get help.

Speaking with your employer – You shouldn’t ever accept discrimination in the workplace as normal. Instead, make sure you speak with your employer about problems as soon as possible. They have a legal responsibility to deal with them.

Seek legal advice – If your employer refuses to fix any problems, you should speak with a legal professional to see what action you can take. Again, it’s better to seek a solution to any discrimination problems instead of suffering from poor mental health and other issues.

Final Word

Age and other types of discrimination can have severe negative effects on your mental and physical health. If you’re being discriminated against in the workplace, you need to seek a solution instead of just suffering. Be proactive in maintaining good mental health, speak with your employer and/or HR manager and don’t hesitate to seek legal advice if you need to.