Abstract
Anti-age discrimination legislative remedies passed in the United States at the federal level have offered limited protections for older workers. Much the same can be said for Canadian laws at the federal and provincial level. Even so, available remedies currently are being tested in courts at a greater rate in the United States. In recent years, there also has been a movement in the United States to pass state laws to prevent workplace bullying and abuse, resulting in a number of pending “healthy workplace” bills in almost all states. In Canada, while older workers’ precarious position is sometimes recognized, the need for additional protections in the workplace has received little legal attention to date. According to the International Labour Organisation, the European Union has passed more stringent anti-bullying workplace policies that, in combination with anti-age discrimination laws, may offer more protection to older workers than legislation passed in North America to date. This chapter describes current and pending legislation to protect older workers from discrimination and workplace abuse in North America and Europe. It places laws in the broader context of how anti-bullying and ageism in the workplace are defined, and the intersection of ageism with other types of discrimination, as well as older workers’ ability to make use of legal remedies. Until progress is made in these three areas, older workers’ situations will continue to be precarious.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Adapted from the facts of Braun v. Profile Seismic Ltd. 2009 AHRC 3. Human Rights Panels of Alberta (June 16, 2009) Diane Colley-Urquhart adjudicator.
References
Age Discrimination Act of 1975 42 USC. Sections 6101–6107
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Pub. L. No. 90-202 Code, 29 U.S.C. § 621 through 29 U.S.C. § 634.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 USC Section 12101. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Baker, D. (2011). http://www.workplaceviolence.ca/downloads/Ontario_Guide_Bullying_in_the_workplace.pdf Emerging issues in disability. In: Proceedings from “Human rights in Canada: new realities, new directions” conference. Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA), Calgary, AB.
BC Human Rights Coalition (2011, May). Anti-bullying legislation in Canada. News from the BC Human Rights Coalition, 11(2), p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.bchrcoalition.org/files/documents/NewsletterMAY2011.pdf. Accessed 21 Mar 2012.
Blackstone, A. (2010). Harassment of older adults in the workplace. Presented at meeting of the American Sociological Association.
Braun v. Profile Seismic Ltd. 2009 AHRC 3. Human Rights Panels of Alberta (2009, June 16). Diane Colley-Urquhart adjudicator. Retrieved from http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abhrc/doc/2009/2009ahrc3/2009ahrc3.html. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Butler, R. N. (1975). Why survive? Being old in America. New York: Harper & Row.
Cahill, K. (2011). Should older workers step aside? Huffington Post, August 28, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-e-cahill/should-older-workers-step%20b%20941020.html. Accessed 4 Oct 2011.
California Healthy Workplace Bill (Assembly Bill 1582). California Legislature—2003–04 Regular Session.
California Fair Employment and Housing Act (n.d.). Government Code §§12900–12996.
Canada Safety Council (n.d.). Bullying in the workplace. Retrieved from http://canadasafetycouncil.org/workplace-safety/bullying-workplace. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Canadian Human Rights Act R.S.C., 1985, c H-6.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, 1982, c. 11 (U.K.), Schedule B.
Canadian Human Rights Commission (2005). Duty to accommodate – frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/pdf/DTA_FAQ_en.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Canadian Human Rights Commission (2006, March). Anti-harassment policies for the workplace: An employer’s guide. Retrieved from http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/publications/anti_harassment_toc_eng.aspx#11. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Canadian Human Rights Commission (2010). Human rights issues in 2010. Retrieved from http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/publications/ar_2010_ra/page4-eng.aspx#5. Accessed 21 Mar 2012.
Catalyst (2011). Women’s earnings and income. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/file/724/qt_womens_earnings_and_income.pdf. Accessed 27 Sep 2012.
Chainey, A. (2010). Workplace violence and psychological harassment: An overview of the Quebec experience. Paper prepared for the National Administrative Law, Labour & Employment Law and Privacy & Access Law Conference. 26–27 Nov 2010, Ottawa, ON.
Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, R.S.Q., c. C-12.
Charters, S. (2008). Age related policies: A global review on age discrimination legislation. International Federation on Ageing. Retrieved from http://www.silverinnings.com/docs/Elder%20Law/International/Age%20Related%20Policies.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 PL. 88–352. (1964, July 2). 78 Stat. 241, as amended, Title VII.
Commission des normes du travail (2011). Labour Standards Act. Interpretation guide, section 81.18. Retrieved from http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/interpretation-guide/part-i/act-respecting-labour-standards/labour-standards-sect-391-to-97/psychological-harassment-sect-8118-to-8120/index.html. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Currie, M. B. (2010, June). Workplace harassment investigations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Presented at the Ontario Bar Association/Law Society of Upper Canada conference “Workplace Violence and Harassment: Advising Clients on Amendments to Bill 168” held on March 10, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.greggowe.com/content/workplace-harassment-investigations-under-ontario-occupational-health-and-safety%20act. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Day, S. (2010, July 28). Canada’s human rights institutions at risk Women’s Court of Canada. Retrieved from http://womenscourt.ca/2010/07/canada%E2%80%99s-human-rights-institutions-at-risk. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Drolet, M. (2011, Spring). Why has the gender wage gap narrowed? Perspectives on Labour and Income. Statistics Canada Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2011001/pdf/11394-eng.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (n.d.). Charge statistics FY 1997 through FY 2010. Retrieved from http:www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/charges.cfm. Accessed 22 Nov 2011.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 Pub. L. No. 88-38, 77 Stat. 56 (codified as amended at29 U.S.C. § 206(d)).
European Union Framework Agreement on Harassment and Violence at Work. ETUC/BUSINESSEUROPE-UEAPME/CEEP, 2011.
European Social Partners (2011, October 27). Implementation of the European autonomous framework agreement on harassment and violence at work. Final joint report. Retrieved from: http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf/BROCHURE_harassment7_2_.pdf. Accessed 4 Oct 2012.
European Social Dialogue. (2007, April). Framework agreement on harassment and violence at work. Retrieved from : Accessed 4 Oct 2012.
European Union Employment Equality Directive 2000/78/EC (2000, November 27). Retrieved from : http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/employment_rights_and_work_organisation/c10823_en.htm. Accessed 4 Oct 2012.
Habinsky, J., & Fitzgerald, C. M. (2011). Office bully takes one on the nose: Developing law on workplace abuse. New York Law Journal, January 21, 2011. Retrieved from http://workplaceviolencenews.com/2011/01/21/office-bully-takes-one-on-the-nose-developing-law-on-workplace-abuse/. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Healthy Workplace Bill (2011). Why the US needs, and we are advocates for, the Healthy Workplace Bill. Retrieved from http://healthyworkplacebill.org/blog/rationale. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (n.d.). Indicators of wellbeing in Canada. Work-employment rate. Retrieved from http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=13. Accessed 9 Nov 2011.
Human Rights Act (2010). S.N.L. 2010, c. H-13.1.
Institute for Women’s Policy Research (2012, March). The gender wage gap: 2011, IWPR Fact Sheet #C350. Retrieved from http://www.iwpr.org/. Accessed 21 March 2012.
Labour Standards Act R.S.Q., c. N-1.1 Division V.2 Psychological Harassment, s. 81.18 to 81.20 (s. 81.19).
Law Commission of Canada (2004) Does age matter? Law and relationshps between generations. Retrieved from: http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/206/301/law_commission_of_canada-ef/2006–10–20/www.lcc.gc.ca/pdf/does_age_matter.pdf. Accessed 4 Oct 2012.
Law Commission of Ontario (2012, April ) A framework for the law as it affects older adults: advancing substantive equality for older persons through law, policy and practice. Retrieved from : http://www.lco-cdo.org/en/older-adults-final-report-framework. Accessed 4 Oct 2012.
Lowenstein, A., & Doron, I. (2008). Intergenerational justice and elder abuse. Intergenerational justice: An Israeli Perspective. Indian Journal on Ageing, 22(3), 356–372.
Lutgen-Sandvik, P., Namie, G., & Namie, R. (2009). Workplace bullying: Causes, consequences, and corrections. In P. Lutgen-Sandvik & B. D. Sypher (Eds.), Destructive organizational communication. New York: Routledge Press.
McKinney v. University of Guelph (1990). 3 S.C.R. 299 at 294–295.
McNaughton, H. (2011, June). Human rights systems. In: Proceedings from “Human rights in Canada: New realities, new directions” Conference. Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA), Calgary, AB Retrieved from http://cashra2011.ca/documents/2B-HumanRightsSystems-speakingnotesHMacnaughtonADD.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Namie, G. (2003). Workplace bullying: Escalated incivility. Ivey Business Journal, November/December.
Neumark, D. (July 2003). Age discrimination legislation in the United States. Contemporary Economic Policy, 21(3), 297–317.
Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993). S.S. c. O-1.1
O’Connell, M. (2005). The role of training in preventing the labour market exclusion of older workers. Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne. Retrieved from http://public-policy.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file//509452/Oco1.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (n.d.). Fact Sheet #3: Employment discrimination based on family status. Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/factsheets/famstat3. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2000). Discrimination and age – human rights facing older persons in Ontario: discussion paper (2000, May 31). Retrieved from http:www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/age-discussion-paper.pdf. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2002). Policy on discrimination against older people because of age. Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/Policies/agepolicyen/pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2006). The cost of caring: Report on the consultation on discrimination on the basis of family status. Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/discussion_consultation/famconsult/pdf. Accessed 21 Mar 2012.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2007). Policy on discrimination against older people because of age. Retrieved from http:www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/Policies/agepolicyen/pdf. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2008). Understanding ageism and age discrimination. Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/issues/age/age_discrimination_brochure_en.pdf. Accessed 21 March 2012.
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2009). Family status. Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/issues/family/family_status_brochure_en.pdf. Accessed 30 Nov 2011.
Ontario Safety Association for Community and Health Care (2009). Bullying in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.workplaceviolence.ca/downloads/Ontario_Guide_Bullying_in_the_workplace.pdf. Accessed 21 Mar 2012.
Pittman, K. (2010, November 18). The plight of the older worker. Retrieved from http://kvalleobs.blogspot.com/2010/11/plight-of-older-worker.html. Accessed 9 Nov 2011.
Porter, N.B. (2003–2004). Sex plus age discrimination: Protecting older women workers. Denver. University Law Review, 81, 79–110.
Porter, N.B. (2009–2010). Synergistic solutions: an integrated approach to solving the caregiver conundrum for “real” workers. Stetson L Rev, 39, 777–860.
Powell, M. (2010). Ageism and abuse in the workplace: A new frontier. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 53(7), 654–665.
Schneider, J. A. (2011). Who are the long term unemployed in this recession and what can be done to help them? Policy report, George Washington University. Retrieved from http://www.thecyberhood.net/documents/papers/unemployment.pdf
Schwartz, K. (2010). Unemployment among older adults stuck near record high. National Council on Aging, October 12, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ncoa.org/press-room/press-release/unemployment-among-older.html. Accessed 29 Nov 2011.
Shah v. Xerox Canada Ltd. (1998). O.J. No. 4349 (affirmed by the Court of Appeal [2000] O.J. No. 849]).
Spencer, C. (2003). Falling off the retirement conveyer belt: Boomer women and mandatory retirement. Canadian Association on Gerontology.
Spencer, C. (2005, October 29–30). Why the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is becoming increasingly irrelevant to older adults. Paper presented at the Canadian Elder Law Conference: Law, Community and Care, 2005, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Stamos v. Annuity Research & Marketing Service Ltd. 2002-05-13 Ontario Supreme Court.
Statistics Canada (2011). Seniors internet use. The Daily, October 12, 2011, Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/111012/dq111012a-eng.htm. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Szinovacz, M. E., & Davey, A. (2005). Predictors of perceptions of involuntary retirement. Gerontologist, 45(1), 36–47.
Workers Compensation Act. [RSBC 1996] c. 492.
Workplace Bullying Institute (2010a). Age & workplace bullying: 2010 WBI Survey. Retrieved from http://www.workplacebullying.org/multi/pdf/age_2010_wbi.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Workplace Bullying Institute (2010b). Recession and workplace bullying: A 2010 WBI survey. Retrieved from http://www.workplacebullying.org/multi/pdf/recession%202010%20wbi.pdf. Accessed 11 Nov 2011.
Workplace Psychological Harassment Prevention Act (2011). Bill C-276, 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. Retrieved from http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E%26Mode=1%26DocId=4330022. Accessed 1 Jan 2012.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Spencer, C. (2013). Legal and Legislative Issues in Protecting Older Adults in the Workplace: An International Perspective. In: Brownell, P., Kelly, J. (eds) Ageism and Mistreatment of Older Workers. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5521-5_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5521-5_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5520-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5521-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawSocial Sciences (R0)