Middle-aged people in the labor market in Azerbaijan

Nargiz R. Alieva, Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Azerbaijan University of Tourism and Management, PhD student at the Department of Sociology, Baku State University, Baku, Azerbaijan, https://0009-0006-5590-6274, e-mail: nargiz.aliyeva3@gmail.com

In the Azerbaijani labor market, as a result of changes in demographic indicators and age structure, the proportion of workers in the middle age group has increased significantly. The employment rate of this age group, its participation in informal labor activities, structural distribution by gender and place of residence, as well as socio-economic and psychological factors affecting its employment are considered. The analysis showed that among the main social and institutional barriers weakening the position of middle-aged people in the labor market, age discrimination and the influence of stereotypes existing in society and entrenched among employers, as well as limited access to employment and social protection programs implemented by the state, occupy a special place. These factors, on the one hand, influence individuals’ subjective experience of employment and their attitude toward the labor market, and on the other hand, play an important role in shaping their decisions regarding employment. In particular, age discrimination, i.e., excluding a person from employment or treating them as a secondary entity solely on the basis of their age, regardless of their professional knowledge, skills, and experience, is a serious obstacle to the career growth and professional reintegration of middle-aged people. We believe that these problems directly affect their employability in the labor market and the social well-being of middle-aged people in general. In this regard, it is necessary to eliminate age stereotypes, strengthen legal and institutional mechanisms to combat discrimination, and restructure employment programs to take into account the needs of all age groups.

Keywords: average age, labor market, employment, sociological analysis, government programs

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