Workplace age discrimination is the most widespread form of age discrimination
with one in five citizens having personally experienced or witnessed it. This
is a finding of a new Eurobarometer survey presented by the Commission to mark
the start of the 2012 European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity of
Generations.

However, the survey results show that age discrimination is less common in
access to education and training and leisure with only around one in ten having
experienced or witnessed each.

The Eurobarometer survey covers five areas: overall perceptions of age and
older people; older people in the workplace; retirement and pensions; voluntary
work and support for older people and an age-friendly environment.
According to the results of the survey only about four out of ten Europeans
(42%) are concerned about the ageing population. In addition, although EU15
citizens are more likely to be aware of the ageing population, they are also
less concerned about the prospect than NMS12 (40% vs. 49%).

Lack of opportunities to retire gradually, exclusion from training and negative
perceptions of older people among employees are perceived to be the main
obstacles stopping people aged 55 years and over from working.
Respondents feel that the most useful contributions from government would be
financial remuneration to carers (44%) followed by greater flexibility at work
in terms of flexible working hours (38%) and being able to leave one's job
temporarily (35%).

More information

AplusA-online.de - Source: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work