I don't think asking the age on an employment application is prohibited; however, it invites suspicion and leaves a paper trail that may haunt you. Defining a college graduation date is odd, and appears to be a silly way to gauge the applicant's age. (Really, was EE course content so much different in 1985 versus 1987?) If we assume a reasonable progression of educational experience, a typical engineer would graduate at age 22 in 1986; thus, there appears to be an age cutoff of 39.
 
Here's a free legal opinion, for California (and if you don't like it, sue this lawyer):
 
People under forty years old are not protected by age discrimination in the workplace laws. If an employer refuses to hire somebody because he or she is thirty-nine, and therefore "too young", that is not illegal. But if it because he or she is forty and "too old", that is illegal.
 
http://www.discriminationattorney.com/age.html
 
You can dig deeper at:
 
http://www.hr-guide.com/data/073.htm
 
And for the, uhhh, horse's mouth, see:
 
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/age_act.htm
 
Is it too quaint to prefer a "good" applicant rather than a specific "age" applicant?
 
Ed
 

Ed Price
[email protected]         WB6WSN
NARTE Certified EMC Engineer & Technician
Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
Cubic Defense Systems
San Diego, CA  USA
858-505-2780  (Voice)
858-505-1583  (Fax)
Military & Avionics EMC Is Our Specialty

-----Original Message-----
From: Tyra, John [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 11:07 AM
To: 'Mike Cantwell'; Emc-Pstc
Cc: Bryan Axmear
Subject: RE: Job Opportunity - Maryland

I thought asking a persons age on a job application for employment is illegal....yes????
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Cantwell [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 12:22 PM
To: Emc-Pstc
Cc: Bryan Axmear
Subject: Job Opportunity - Maryland

I received the following job opportunity from this recruiter:
 
[email protected]
 
He has helped others on this list find employment in the past so if anyone is interested in this position or knows of someone interested in this position either contact him directly or you can contact me and I'll help them get through.
 
Looks like the emphasis is on design and analysis and not on testing. For whatever reason, age seems to matter, I'm sure to reflect salary versus experience. Good luck to those interested.
 
Job Description:
 
I need a emi/emc ANALYSIS/DESIGN (opposed to a straight test) guy that graduated from college between the years of  1988-1992. Job in maryland.
Emi analysis, pspice, mathcad, RF work of any kind.
 
t1) a graduate that didnt graduate any earlier than 1986
2) the candidate knows that my manager may want to make him an offer after 9 months for perm placment
3) it is emc/emi analysis and design instead of straight emi/emc testing