Older Age Discrimination at Work: Not So Weak and Feeble

Abstract

Abstract In their focal article, Murphy and DeNisi (Murphy, K. R., & DeNisi, A. S. [2021]. Do age stereotypes predict per­sonnel decision? The state of the evidence. Work, Aging, & Retire­ment. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waab019) contend that older age stereotypes do not appear to meaningfully shape organizational decisions in ways that disadvantage older workers. My commentary centers on several issues: (1) a critical assessment of effect sizes, including their labels (e.g., small, medium, large), practical significance, and compounding impact, and (2) consideration of targets’ perspectives of ageism, including Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports and self-report surveys, which provide important insight into the frequency and manifestation of workplace age discrimination. These issues challenge the notion that age stereotypes have minimal effects on the treatment of older workers. Three calls for future research are provided to guide readers in advancing scholarship on age stereotypes and discrimination.