Q: Does using social media advertisements targeted to younger potential applicants raise age discrimination concerns?

A: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) makes it illegal to discriminate against workers over the age of 40 in employment advertising, recruiting, hiring, and other employment opportunities.  The publication provision of the ADEA generally makes it unlawful to “print or publish” job notices or advertisements “indicating any preference, limitation, specification or discrimination, based on age.”  Age preferences for younger employees are only appropriate when age is demonstrated as a bona fide occupational qualification that is reasonably necessary for the normal operation of the business.

Age discrimination claims pursuant to the ADEA have been rising steadily in the past 10 years. The number of age discrimination complaints submitted to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission totaled about 18,000 in 2017 — about 20% of all complaints filed with the federal agency.

At the same time, the manner and method by which employers are posting job advertisements has been changing and evolving. Not surprisingly, given the rise of social media usage, many employers are turning to sites like Facebook to recruit new hires.  However, using such sites to target specific demographics, such as younger applicants, may run afoul of the ADEA.

In December 2017, a group of some of the largest U.S. employers found themselves in federal court, facing tough questions about their social media hiring practices. A class action lawsuit was filed against the various employers, alleging that they used Facebook-provided targeting tools and algorithms to direct ads to younger potential applicants, thereby discriminating against older applicants in violation of the ADEA.  The individual plaintiffs in the case, who are all recently unemployed workers over the age of 40 who use the social media site, claim they have been denied the opportunity to view certain employment advertisements simply because of their age. Because they could not view the ads, consequently, they could not apply for the posted jobs.

Although we do not yet know the outcome of the pending litigation, it is likely similar claims will follow. So what can an employer do to mitigate the risks associated with posting jobs on social media sites?  Treat the online posting no differently than any other publication, such as a newspaper.  Avoid using language that may be deemed discriminatory (i.e. “young” or “new grad”).  Research the social media site’s advertising policies and procedures.  When completing the criteria for the posting, do not affirmatively limit how the advertisement will be shared among different age demographics who use the site.  Ensure that your company’s advertisements are accessible and open to potential applicants of all ages.