Page 243 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

9. ACE DISCRIMINATION
ENTRY INTO EMPLOYMENT
Job Search and Unemployment 211
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the period January 2002
to November 2002, employers initiated 17,799 mass layoff incidents, re­
sulting in nearly 2 million claims for unemployment compensation insur­
ance. Although these data show the greatest level of unemployment for
those in the 25-44 year age range, the length of time until reemployment
is longest for older Americans. Specifically, the mean duration for 25 to
35 year olds is 12.7 weeks, whereas the mean for those over age 54 is 18
weeks. The U.S. Bureau of the Census (1993) showed that whereas 49.6%
of displaced workers between the ages of 55 and 64 found other employ­
ment, 65-70% of workers under age 55 were reemployed. In addition, a
recent meta-analysis (Kanfer, Wanberg, & Kantrowitz, 2001) showed that
younger people reported a greater likelihood of becoming employed; how­
ever, the authors suggested that there was under-sampling of people over
the age of 55. Although this body of research suggests that younger workers
are more easily reemployed than older workers, more research is needed
that studies job search activities and the criteria used for evaluating jobs
by the old and the young. There are likely elements of discrimination at
play, but there may also be differences in the activities and expectations of
unemployed workers depending on their age, which influence opportuni­
ties.

Selection

Finkelstein et al. (1995) conducted a meta-analysis of laboratory studies of
age and selection and found no significant age effects when raters eval­
uated either a younger or an older applicant. However, they did find a
significant age effect when raters evaluated both younger and older appli­
cants, such that young applicants were rated as more qualified than were
old applicants. This suggests that the ages of other applicants may play an
important role in understanding how target age impacts selection.
Three field studies also show inconsistent results. Arvey, Miller, Gould,
& Burch (1987) found that age was positively related to hireability,
Goldberg and Shore (2003) found no significant age effects, and Raza and
Carpenter (1987) found a negative relationship. In all three studies, appli­
cants had a median age in their twenties or early thirties, raising questions
as to the generalizability of these results.
Even though research results linking age and selection are inconsistent,
court judgments in age discrimination cases suggest this is an important