On the specific subject of disclosing your age, Munton says that you may not need to give your birthdate, but most employers will need to know your details if they decide to employ you.
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“Apart from anything else, there are concerns these days with identity theft. Everyone who has official business with us – banks, creditors, superannuation funds, employers – have good reasons to know our true names and dates of birth,” she says.
“A lot of online application forms these days require these kinds of details, and it is difficult to press ‘send’ on an electronic form if you have left any blanks. It is very unwise to lie on application forms because you could be subsequently dismissed for dishonesty.”
But Munton sympathises with you and agrees that there is still a lot of discrimination in the labour market, particularly against older workers and those with medical conditions.
“Employers are not supposed to take those factors into account in making hiring decisions, and there are laws ‘on the books’ that people could use to bring complaints. But, in reality, it is very hard to make someone employ you if they don’t want to take the risk of hiring someone they perceive as less fit than other candidates.”
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As you’ll know if you read Work Therapy regularly, it’s often the case that a larger systemic problem makes a specific situation worse. And that’s the case here, according to Munton.
“Maybe the problem for older people lies principally with our aged pension system. Lifting the pension age to 67 [which happened in 2023] has created hardship for people, especially if they haven’t been able to build up savings in the superannuation system.
“Casual workers, and women who have had careers interrupted by caring responsibilities, frequently have little in the way of superannuation to rely on to cover any gap between work and the pension. And I feel especially sorry for people in very physically demanding jobs. It must be very hard to do heavy-labouring work into one’s late 60s.”
There is, though, information available that may help you navigate this difficult career moment.
“One place to look for advice and relief might be any insurance policy attached to an employee’s superannuation fund, covering incapacity to work,” Munton said.
Send your Work Therapy questions to jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au
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