Sen.Pia: Job fairs on Labor Day are okay, but...

Job fairs organized by government agencies and private firms have become staple activities every year on Labor Day. But how many jobseekers above thirty years old actually get hired in these fairs?

Thus asked Senator Pia S. Cayetano, as she reiterated her call for an end to age discrimination in the workplace, which she said has unduly deprived 'older' workers of employment opportunities - as some employers tend to favor younger applicants or set preferred age limits for jobs that can generally be performed by any qualified employee, regardless of age.

"We see age discrimination openly being flaunted in job fairs and classified ads, where companies or employment agencies set specific age requirements for job seekers, such as between 20 to 30 years old. It is also in the employment policies of some industries, although sometimes discreetly," explained Cayetano.

"Our Constitution guarantees equal employment opportunities for all, and yet there is no law that prohibits age discrimination at work, not even an aggressive campaign by the labor department to seriously address this unfair practice."

Speaking on International Labor Day (May 1), Cayetano is pushing for the passage of her proposal, Senate Bill No.29, or the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act (SBN 29).

"Age discrimination is also a common concern among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Many of them are skilled and highly experienced workers who would be assets in any company or enterprise, but experience has shown them that turning 30 has been a serious obstacle to being hired locally. Thus, many of our OFWs are forced to stay abroad or return there, sometimes as illegal workers, or even risk their own life and safety as migrant workers in countries torn by conflict or war."

The senator said the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a support group for migrant workers, and the 'Abilidad, Hindi Edad' ('Skills, Not Age') Coalition composed of workers and labor groups, have backed the passage of the bill which is pending on second reading in the Senate.

Under SBN 29, employers are prohibited from publishing or posting ads indicating age preferences, requiring applicants to declare their age, and declining application or laying off employees because of age. Violators face a fine of between P50,000 and P500,000, or imprisonment ranging from 3 months to 2 years.

"The Philippine economy is widely acknowledged as one of the fastest moving in the region, and yet our workers remain stuck in backward practices and conditions. Passing the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act would be a fitting legacy of the 16th Congress for our workforce," she concluded.