Is this age discrimination? What can I do about it?

[francisco]

Okay so I've been working at this company (which is a huge corporation, but I won't say their name - I'm not that mean!) since I was 16 years old. I'm now 18 and I still work there, and if I don't say so myself thats a really long time for a casual worker, for their first job! Anyway when I first started I had so many shifts, they were coming out my ears. I never had to worry about if I'd have enough shifts because I knew I always would. I'm paid based on my age. But this year I turned 18 and started college. The good news - my pay goes up heaps. The bad news - they stopped rostering me. I know that I'm only casual so they can turn around in ten seconds and tell me I don't have a job but then this is where it starts to get complicated. They found out I was in college which means I can work during the day time and they majorly took advantage of that. They expected me to stop going to my classes so I could work - and for a time I did! They never rostered me for weekend work or evening work like I use to get, only during the day! AND they make me sign a contract each week - without giving me a copy or giving me enough time to read it - which basically says that they can pay me less. I finally said no I can't work during the day anymore, because the hours they wanted me to work was getting ridiculous - over 25 hours a week! Okay, so it's not that much but I'm a student. I have 983479870782307 other things to do too. So they got pissed off with me and stopped rostering me. I know I'm just a casual so theres not much I can do about it, but is there anything wrong with their actions? Is there anything I can do?

[hrafn]

There might be a case but I dubt it.

[barend31]

No, not discrimination.

[christie42]

No, they're not required to accomodate your lack of available time during the day. You could try teaming up with another colleague and to suggest a schedule to them, but they are not required to accept it.
I don't see any way to construct a case of age discrimination based on this. The cause why they want to hire you less because of the increased wage, not because of a dislike for 18 years olds.

Never sign anything that you have not read and don't get a copy of! Take the time to read it and insist on a copy being made before you sign it. Make sure that your copy is signed by them as well, and not just a copy with blank signature fields. If they don't like it, it's time to look for another job as they want to screw you over in some way or another.

[byron92]

The reason this happens is because people let it happen.

I had a boarder who was similar. Casual but got lots of overtime so he thought all was good in the world. But the day it no longer suited them, his over times topped and he had no money and they did not care. And interesting he was also handed contracts and expected to sign etc etc.

While people sign on to there arrangements business will exploit you. And that is all they will ever do. They don't care about your personal needs. They just care about their own.