Foto: BB.LV / строительные каски
A reader faced such a situation, who, being a 59-year-old certified civil engineer, sent about 50 CVs over the course of a year but received no responses. He believes that employers prefer young, experienced specialists; however, in actual selection processes, preference may be given to younger candidates. The reader is a certified civil engineer specializing in the construction of water supply, sewage, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and he has his own private practice. "Over the year, I sent about 50 CVs. Response — 0. Not even a response with an explanation for the refusal," writes the reader Ivars. In his opinion, there is age discrimination in the labor market, which is not always openly discussed. He admits that some employers prefer younger workers, who are considered easier to adapt, while experienced specialists may be more demanding and better at defending their professional viewpoints. Ivars also points out that the salaries offered in job advertisements for professionals in his specialization are not always appropriate. However, his experience alone does not allow him to conclude that employers did not respond to applications specifically because of age. To clarify this, it would be necessary to assess specific selection cases and the reasons behind employers' decisions. What does the State Labor Inspectorate say about possible age discrimination? LA.LV contacted the State Labor Inspectorate (VDI) to find out whether the institution receives complaints about possible age discrimination and how often people report different treatment in labor relations. Dainis Deigelis, the leading expert in the strategic planning and data analysis department at VDI, explains that the institution receives reports of possible different treatment in the workplace; however, separate statistics on possible discrimination specifically based on age are not collected. VDI also does not have data on the ages of individuals who may have faced discrimination or different treatment. At the same time, the institution's data shows that in recent years, the number of reports of possible violations of the Labor Law related to the principle of equal rights and the prohibition of different treatment has increased. In 2024, VDI received five reports of possible violations of Article 29 of the Labor Law and 90 reports of violations of Article 7. In 2025, these figures were 13 and 143 reports, respectively. Meanwhile, in the first nine months of 2026, 18 reports of possible violations of Article 29 and 137 reports of violations of Article 7 were received. These figures reflect not only complaints about age discrimination and do not, by themselves, mean that violations were established in all cases. ## ## In what cases can age discrimination be discussed? As VDI points out, people approach the institution for consultation or to file a complaint about possible age discrimination in various situations. One of them is job searching, when a potential employer refuses to hire a person, considering them too old or too young for a specific position. Concerns about different treatment may also arise when an employee is dismissed or encouraged to retire due to their age rather than for objective work-related reasons. Possible discrimination may also manifest in wages and the distribution of work duties, for example, if a person is paid less or assigned less responsible tasks due to their age, preventing them from fully utilizing their abilities. ## ## What to do if an employer refuses to hire due to age? VDI explains: if an employer, in selecting candidates, violated the prohibition on different treatment and refused to establish an employment relationship due to a person's age without objective grounds, the applicant has the right to go to court. According to Article 34 of the Labor Law, a lawsuit must be filed within three months from the date of receiving the employer's refusal to establish labor relations. In such cases, the candidate cannot demand that the employer hire them forcibly, but they can claim compensation for damages and moral harm. If possible different treatment is established in existing labor relations, the employee can contact the State Labor Inspectorate to assess possible violations of labor law.
