Monday, January 8, 2018

AARP and Key Senators Urge Companies to End Age Bias in Recruiting on Facebook

 

A ProPublica/New York Times report last month has raised concerns about online job ads discriminating against older workers.


The largest advocacy group for older Americans and the two top members of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging are calling on employers and tech companies to stop limiting recruitment ads on Facebook and other online sites to younger workers.

“It appears age discrimination is alive and well in the digital era,” Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president of AARP, said in a statement on Friday.

“We urge online platforms to take the steps needed to ensure they’re not supporting age-biased recruiting and hiring practices. And we continue to call on all employers to end bias in their employment practices,” she said.

Maine Republican Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Aging Committee, and Pennsylvania Democrat Robert Casey, the ranking minority member, wrote to Facebook, Google and LinkedIn on Dec. 22, asking them how many employment ads on their platforms are targeted by age group, and what safeguards they have to prevent employment discrimination based on age. The companies have until the end of January to respond.

“By targeting employment advertisements to specific age groups, certain users may be denied the ability to view job opportunities,” Collins and Casey wrote. “While targeted online job postings can benefit both employers and workers, this technological advancement can also become an avenue for discriminatory practices if not properly managed.”
 
Click here for the full article. 

Source: ProPublica

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