Losing a job or trying to find a new one is scary at any age. As you grow older, especially in today’s economy, the fear of job loss may feel even more worrisome. Am I going to lose my job because of my age? Will I struggle to find a new job? What will this mean for my future? Concern about being treated differently because of age is one of the top issues people reach out to us about—and it can have real consequences.

Do you fear being pushed out?

We hear from people across the country who want to stay in their jobs but worry about losing them. For many older workers, the fear of being pushed out or into retirement can seem less to do with work performance, and more to do with age. 

One person who reached out to Empower Work shared:

“How does a tenured nurse with excellent evaluations find herself in 6 months almost terminated? [They want] a forced retirement and I do not want to retire but cannot afford to be terminated!”

Losing a paycheck is a scary thing to consider. Being nudged out of a job can also feel incredibly hurtful, disrespectful, and worse. 

Perhaps you’ve worked somewhere for a long time and built close relationships with your coworkers. Perhaps your work feels really meaningful. Perhaps your work uses an expertise you’ve spent years developing. Perhaps you don’t know what else you would do. 

Whatever your experience, this fear can be a major cause for concern. 

Age discrimination is real—and not okay 

If you’re worried about being treated differently because of your age, know that you’re not the only one.

In 2018, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported that “age discrimination remains a significant and costly problem for workers, their families, and our economy”—despite age discrimination being outlawed 50 years prior.

In the same year, a survey by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that:

• Three out of five older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, and 

• One out of four workers age 45 and older were subjected to negative comments about their age from coworkers or supervisors.

More than half of these workers are pushed out of longtime jobs, 76 percent see their age as a hurdle to finding a new job, and nine out of 10 never earn as much again. 

Many organizations are trying to address these distressing statistics. AARP’s Employer Pledge Program encourages employers to commit to employing experienced workers, recruit individuals from all age groups, and to consider all applicants equally. 

COVID and the economic recession

Even as states reopen and many businesses look for workers, the impact of COVID-19 and the ensuing recession is still being felt across the country. Overall, 43% of U.S. adults — and half of lower-income working adults — say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a pay cut due to the pandemic. 

Older workers are especially impacted. According to the AARP, during economic downturns, older workers tend to file more complaints of age discrimination in firing and other workplace actions. Recent research suggests that lower-income older workers fared worse in the recent COVID Recession than in the Great Recession just over a decade ago.  

Some lawmakers are trying to do something about this. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to protect older Americans in the workplace by making it easier to bring forward age discrimination suits. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Connecticut have also recently passed bipartisan bills that protect older workers, including closing mandatory retirement age loopholes and preventing employers from asking applicants when they were born. 

But what does this all mean for older workers who need a paycheck right now? 

How to manage the fear of potentially losing your job

Fear is a normal emotion that shows us that we care, that something is important to us. It can also sometimes get in our way. If you’re feeling concerned about losing your job, that concern may well be rooted in real fear—that you’re getting pushed out, that you don’t have many options. That concern may also be rooted in the troubling society-wide trends outlined above.

One way of managing fear is to try getting curious about it, to better understand what’s going on. Here are some questions to consider: 

What do you want out of your career? 

You are a more seasoned worker, so how can you use your skills to your advantage? What would your ideal position look like? In a perfect world, how much longer would you continue to work? Being clear on what you want for yourself—personally, financially, emotionally—and managing your expectations of what’s possible will allow you to better pivot or speak up, depending on your situation. As you wrap up your professional life, where and how do you see yourself?

Do you have a back-up plan if you are let go?

Sometimes creating a game plan for the worst-case scenario can help manage the fear. It can also build confidence by confronting the reality of a potential job loss head-on. Consider what your next steps will be if you, indeed, are laid off: How will I file for unemployment? How long will my health insurance continue? Will I be offered a severance package? How will I begin my job search?

What can you control?

You may not be able to control your boss, your working environment, or being treated differently because of your age, but you do have control over you: your resume, your network, your job search, your skills and experience. By keeping track of the things we do control—and not fixating on what we don’t—we can feel like we are making things happen for ourselves, rather than things are simply happening to us.

Reach Out

As you’re facing concerns about how ageism may impact you at work, and if you’re feeling like you want to find a path forward, an Empower Work peer counselor can help. 

We know that, if anything, you have more to offer a current or potential employer specifically due to your years of experience.

“[My counselor] helped me see things from a different perspective and recognize my power. She also helped me not to run from my situation but stand up for myself.”

If you’re frustrated, hurt, or wondering what to do about experiencing age discrimination, free, confidential support is just a text away: 510-674-1414.