Age Discrimination Bane Of Unemployment

A development that has continued to enhance the unemployment situation in the country is age discrimination in employment matters. In their bid to tackle unemployment problem, many countries had had to solve the age discrimination issue first before making a headway. It is, however, unfortunate that the Nigerian government has not seen this as an impediment in their fight against unemployment.

Employers of labour in the country have consistently raised the age limit of job seekers by the day.

A classic vacant advert for positions meant for fresh employees usually emphasises age and very specific academic qualifications. For example, such adverts like “candidates must possess good university degree with a second class honours (Upper division) including five credit passes at the senior secondary school certificate examination which must include Mathematics and English Language and must not be less than 25 years of age by October 25th, 2010”. Some other versions of job adverts add some years of experience. The question many ask is that if the job seeker is not given the opportunity to work, how will he or she have the requisite experience?

One factor that has been identified as reason employers in Nigeria set age barrier is productivity. Mr. James Balafama, General Manager of Kindred Nigeria Limited in Port Harcourt says: “Younger people are more manageable, productive and can easily imbibe organisational culture than the older ones. But research has shown that more people contribute significantly to the growth of an organisation in their 30s”. If Balafama’s explanation is anything to go by, it means that raising the age barrier does not significantly give an organisation much advantage.

The age limit question is not practiced by indigenous companies alone. Even foreign companies indulge in the practice. Most of the foreign companies found in the practice do not use similar conditions in their home countries. For instance, a multi-national company operating in Nigeria recently posted a job vacancy advert in its career section on the internet as follows: “Who we look for: We are looking for talented people seeking to make a difference. They must be young graduates who are under 26 years, or experienced individuals who are under 32 years and capable of delivering excellent and value-added services to our clients”.

But the same firm does not demand such from its United Kingdom applicants. For instance, what it demands from UK graduates interested in working in its audit section is “ “If you have already completed some professional exams, but do not have relevant work experience, then we may be able to consider you for an audit graduate training contract. If you have passed a number of professional exams and have relevant work experience, then please visit the experienced professionals part of the website”.

The question is how may Nigeria graduates can meet the qualifications stipulated by these companies particularly when viewed against the fact that an average Nigerian graduate may have clocked 26 years upon graduation from the university and eventually surpass the age after serving the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), programme. This means that there is every need to check the age issue as it relates to employment in the country. Mr. Kayode Ogundipe, Managing Director of Majorie Ventures, a financial consulting firm in Port Harcourt, says: “In many countries the emphasis is on competence and not age. As long as one is competent to do a job, age should not be a barrier”.

In many countries today the best practice is to ensure that employment practices are based on skills and competence rather than age. It is therefore illegal for employers to advertise, recruit, train, promote or retire on the basis of age unless it is absolutely necessary.

Interestingly, while many countries are ensuring that their citizens who are competent and are above 40 are not denied an iota of opportunity on account of age, Nigerian employers are throwing away competent hands and denying them employment on account of falsely branded over-age toga. In the civilised world, for instance, laws have been enacted against age discrimination in employment matters. The United States of America enacted such law as far back as 1967, with some states already following suit. Under the US Age Discrimination in Employment Act, it is unlawful to sack or fail to hire someone on the grounds of age if the employee is over 40.

The US is much narrower in scope than what is obtainable in United Kingdom. The UK Age Discrimination Employment Act of 2006 makes it unlawful for employers and others to discriminate against a person on the basis of age. Unlike in the US where regulations give protection to older workers, the UK rules apply to all age groups. Thus, in the  UK, as long as one is within the legal working age, one cannot be denied employment on the basis of being too old or too young. Many other countries like Australia, have all joined in legislating against age discrimination in employment.

Should Nigeria join these countries that have legislated against the employment discriminatory practice? Mrs. Oju Nathan, a retired civil servant who worked at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity says: “there is need for the country to take a second look at our labour laws. The decay in education has actually made people to be leaving school much later than they ought to. The problems we have had in education really necessitated that government looks at employment age from a realistic point of view”. Some other Nigerians think that a legislation is not needed, but that organisations should devise ways of getting people who can deliver.

One of the negative effects of this age discrimination by employers is that it causes many Nigerians to build their careers on falsehood, as they declare false ages to be eligible for employment.

Arnold Alalibo