Age discrimination in UN hiring?

July 21, 2008 10:45 AM

Why is there an age limit to take the UN's national competitive recruitment exams?

Apparently, to take the United Nations' open competitive exam for entry-level junior positions, you can't be older than 32 as of December 31 on the year of the test. (For the next level up on the ladder, there's an age cutoff of 39.)

This hurts, because I will JUST have turned 33 at the end of 2009, with a master's degree that I pursued slightly later in life than many of my peers. Why does an older person seeking a career change get excluded from a junior-level job search? Is this discrimination, or is there some validity to their stance? I couldn't find anything in the exam FAQ other than "them's the rules."

posted by mirepoix to work & money (6 comments total)

Age discrimination protects only people age 40 and older.
posted by Airhen at 10:59 AM on July 21

"Why does an older person seeking a career change get excluded from a junior-level job
search?"

Presumably because they're looking for people to make a career of it and eventually become their senior people. They need young people so that they can eventually advance and become senior people before they retire. The UN also hires non-entry level people through other means.
posted by Jahaza at 10:59 AM on July 21

Yes, they want people who will make this a career, and to that end I think entry-level officials sign a 30-year contract (if I remember my conversation with my UN-worker friend correctly). I assume this is the reason for the age cutoff.
posted by arco at 11:30 AM on July 21

Also, I rather suspect (though I'm not sure, and don't take this as legal advice) that U.S. age discrimination law wouldn't apply to the U.N.
posted by paultopia at 2:10 PM on July 21

Also, I rather suspect (though I'm not sure, and don't take this as legal advice) that U.S. age discrimination law wouldn't apply to the U.N.


IANAL but I do know that the UN complex in Midtown Manhattan is considered an extraterritorial enclave, like an embassy, which may (or may not) exempt them from such anti-discrimination laws.

It sucks, though. I do remember being in the exact same position a few years ago, back in my early thirties, and being rather unhappy about paying taxes to support an organization that discriminated against me.
posted by jason's_planet at 8:45 PM on July 21

paying taxes to support an organization

I wouldn't worry too much.
posted by pompomtom at 9:18 PM on July 21