Answer the following questions
1) What have been introduced in the European Union to help middle-aged and older workers?
2) What does the European Union intend to stop in the workplace?
3) What did legislators decide about discrimination against older workers and older job seekers?
4) What do the new laws help staff to claim?
5) Why are young people aged 16-24 not happy with the new laws?
6) What age class is likely to benefit most from the new ageism laws and why?
7) How are white middle-aged men called by human resource departments?
8) What had happened to the staff after being wrongly fired by companies?
9) To what amount of money did the compensation for unfair dismissal amount earlier?
10) How much money can disgruntled staff claim for unfair dismissal now?
11) What income can middle-aged bankers get in their 40s?
Match the following words from the text placed in the left column with their synonyms given in the right column. Consult a dictionary if necessary.
| 1) speeding 2) unacceptable 3) workers 4) income 5) capped 6) disgruntled 7) males 8) companies 9) fired 10) experience | a) limit b) organizations c) hands-on d) fed up e) bombing f) inexcusable g) sacked h) men i) employees j) earnings |
8. Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):
| 1) Compensation for unfair dismissal claims 2) Racism and sexism are viewed 3) Ageism is seen as 4) Financial ruin for 5) The new laws mean staff can 6) The Employment Equality 7) However not everyone 8) 16-24-year-olds believed older workers 9) New employment laws 10) One bank allowed staff to | a) not bad like speeding b) many middle-aged bankers c) Age Regulations d) is happy with the new laws e) should not receive higher pay f) was capped at around $110,000 g) like drunk driving - totally unacceptable h) have been introduced in the EU i) call traders in their 40s “dinosaurs” j) claim significant levels of compensation |
9. Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘middle-aged’ and ‘employment’. Fill in the table given below.
| Middle-aged | Employment |
· Share your findings with your partners.
· Make questions using the words you found.
· Ask your partner / group your questions.
10. In pairs / groups, write down questions about ageism in the workplace.
· Ask other groupmates your questions and note down their answers.
· Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
· Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.