Bulgaria: Age Discrimination Resulting in Large Number of Older Unemployed

According to news reports, Veselin Ilkov, head of a Department in Bulgaria's Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, believes that 46% of the unemployed in Bulgaria between 50 and 60 years have no work exactly because of their age. Ilkov proposes that an employer ethic codex be accepted not to allow age discrimination.

Although since 1 October 2006 there is law against the age discrimination, there still are many employers in Bulgaria who use the advance in years as excuse for dismissing or eliminating by competition for vacation work place a person, without taking under consideration the worker's qualification and skills.

Sources: News.bg "Half of the Unemployed Over 50 Years--Discriminated" (June 13, 2008); FOCUS "Veselin Ilkov: Employers often eliminate older people, applying for a position" (June 13, 2008)