Is this just a tricky way for employers to discriminate based on age?

I am 17 years old, and looking for a job. I applied for a job at Peet's Coffee and Tea, and I spoke to the manager. On my application, I wrote that I was not available weekends, but I was available 8 am till closing most other days (except two days which, I was available until 5 pm).
He told me that he is looking for flexibility, and if I'm not available weekends, I will probably not be hired.
If I had applied during the schoolyear, I would only be able to work weekends (like many highchoolers work). He would definitely turn me down in that case.
Plus, I was applying for a part-time job, not full-time.
By saying that open availability determines any sort of employement, employers can just exclude highschoolers (and probably college students) from employment. Is this legal?
Additional Details
Okay, let's take my actual scenario out of the question. How about the 2nd case? If a college student or high school student applies to work on weekends because s/he is a full-time student, couldn't it be a form of discrimination by saying no based on availability?

kattsmeow

No, I think he needs more help on the weekends because he is busier. His help that have been around probably want weekends off.

Vicster

Yes, it is. They are not trying to exclude students, they are trying to avoid hiring a bunch of people who only want to work M-F, 8-5. If they don't have a large pool of employees who are willing to work nights and weekends, how are they supposed to stay open those hours? Additionally, they need to have employees who can fill in for others who call in sick or just don't show up at any time - especially nights and weekends. The have a legitimate business need to hire only employees who can work whatever hours they are open, regardless of their age, or whether or not they're students.

dtccareerservices

An employer has a right to ask his/her employees to be available to work during the business' hours of operation. It is up to the employer's own discretion whether or not he/she hires employees with limited schedules and covers those limitations with other, more flexible employees.

Logically, it is easier to work with more flexible employees than to work with people who have limitations on the hours they can work. That you feel discriminated against is a matter of your own perception of the situation.

I don't believe it's personal. It's just business.

Try applying to places that will work with your school schedule. Larger establishments with many employees are easier to do this with.

Jack

It's not age discrimination. In the U. S., age discrimination is only protected if you are somewhere in your 40's or older. Youth is not protected.

Xero

Well most places are more busy during the weekend, and you are not available for those day's maybe that's why he never really considered you, the business needs help, and a flexible schedule.

futureteacher0613

No...most places like that need more employees on the weekends because that is their busiest time! You may not like working weekends, but sometimes sacrifices need to be made when needing a job.

chris p

its completely legal. an employer can choose not to hire you for any reason they deem. It is a play on the system, but in retail and other jobs of the like not being available on the weekend will not work, and most likely you will not be able to get a job unless you open that time up.

Hope this helps and good luck finding a job.

Samantha

No...they need you to be available the shifts that are busy. Unfortunately not to many employers are flexible these days. Most places weekends and nights are the shifts the newbies work!

Mel

Not really. Employers are allowed to dictate the conditions under which they will offer employment - pay, hours, benefits, uniforms, and so on. If the employer requires employees who are able to work a certain schedule, it is not discriminatory to refuse to hire employees who cannot work the required schedule.

It IS discriminatory to refuse to hire someone on the basis of race, age, religion, gender, national origin, etc. (all of the Title IX classes.) For example, if white male college students were hired under their restriction that they could not work weekends, but Asian female college students were told that their lack of flexibility resulted in a no-hire, then you'd have a discrimination case.

SapphireSeaFairy

Any employer doesn't need a reason to not hire you. Most part time jobs run shifts. Most employers want to hire people who are available for any shift. Personally, I think that stinks. But it's a fact of life.

val40106

Yes, there are some crooked employers like the one u described. (plus, do u really want to work for someone like that?) Anyway, employers want extremely flexible people in case of call offs or unexpected quitters. Don't give up, the right job will come along.

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