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But then businesses will keep doing so secretly and indirectly, which will just hurt people who share correlating traits with the disadvantages hires, e.g women

But then businesses will keep doing so secretly and indirectly, which will just hurt people who share correlating traits with the disadvantages hires, e.g women with no interest in having children.

jhall1468 8y ago
I'm not sure advocating that we remove the law in order to prevent businesses from quietly breaking it is really solving the problem here.
- tomjen3 8y ago
  At least if that was the case we would be able to quantify it, and people would know which industries it was worst in, and how much (eg. you should expect your income to peak at 42 years, save accordingly).
  - jhall1468 8y ago
    Sure, we can also legalize murder and learn a lot more about people that do it, why and a whole bunch of other data, but we don't do that for obvious reasons. This is just a less fantastical example of that. And you can see how successful their attempt at hiding it was.
  - nsgi 8y ago
    Why would age discrimination be easier to quantify if it was legal?
  - analog31 8y ago
    Here's a thought experiment: Legislate a cutoff age right before the next election.
- matz1 8y ago
  Its cost vs benefit. Trying to remove the law seems way more expensive and difficult compare to doing it secretly and indirectly.
your-nanny 8y ago
don't tax people because they'll just find ways to avoid paying them. don't set worker safety rules because companies will just bribe the inspectors. dont punish thieves because they'll just find wats to hide their thievery. don't punish murderers because they'll just do it less openly. don't set fuel efficiency standards because companies will cheat and lie to meet them. don't require good security hygiene because hackers will just find more devious means of hacking. don't outlaw discrimination in hiring and firing because they'll just find other indirect ways to do the same thing. /s
- reaperducer 8y ago
  To you and me, that’s sarcasm. But there are regions of the world, and even entire nations, where that is not only popular thought, but public policy. Given the international nature of HN, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the bewildered comments in this thread come from people who grew up in that kind of culture.
  - your-nanny 8y ago
    where?

But then businesses will keep doing so secretly and indirectly, which will just hurt people who share correlating traits with the disadvantages hires, e.g women with no interest in having children.

jhall1468 8y ago

I'm not sure advocating that we remove the law in order to prevent businesses from quietly breaking it is really solving the problem here.

tomjen3 8y ago
At least if that was the case we would be able to quantify it, and people would know which industries it was worst in, and how much (eg. you should expect your income to peak at 42 years, save accordingly).
- jhall1468 8y ago
  Sure, we can also legalize murder and learn a lot more about people that do it, why and a whole bunch of other data, but we don't do that for obvious reasons. This is just a less fantastical example of that. And you can see how successful their attempt at hiding it was.
- nsgi 8y ago
  Why would age discrimination be easier to quantify if it was legal?
- analog31 8y ago
  Here's a thought experiment: Legislate a cutoff age right before the next election.
matz1 8y ago
Its cost vs benefit. Trying to remove the law seems way more expensive and difficult compare to doing it secretly and indirectly.

your-nanny 8y ago

don't tax people because they'll just find ways to avoid paying them. don't set worker safety rules because companies will just bribe the inspectors. dont punish thieves because they'll just find wats to hide their thievery. don't punish murderers because they'll just do it less openly. don't set fuel efficiency standards because companies will cheat and lie to meet them. don't require good security hygiene because hackers will just find more devious means of hacking. don't outlaw discrimination in hiring and firing because they'll just find other indirect ways to do the same thing. /s

reaperducer 8y ago
To you and me, that’s sarcasm. But there are regions of the world, and even entire nations, where that is not only popular thought, but public policy. Given the international nature of HN, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the bewildered comments in this thread come from people who grew up in that kind of culture.
- your-nanny 8y ago
  where?