Colleen Delsack is a 47-year-old mother who can't seem to find a steady job, and she worries that her age may have something to do with it. So she joined dozens of other unemployed workers Friday to take advantage of free Botox wrinkle injections offered by a Virginia clinic. “Age is a handicap,” said Delsack, whose home has gone into foreclosure in the 18 months since she lost her job as an account executive. “There's so much competition,” she said while waiting to receive about a half-dozen small injections to ease fine lines around her eyes and on her forehead. “And we're up against kids coming out of college and not making the salaries that we've had.” In an increasingly youth-obsessed culture, Delsack isn't the only one feeling apprehensive about her age in the workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it received 24,582 complaints of age discrimination in the 12-month period ending in September. That's a 29 percent increase from the previous year. The growing ranks of the unemployed include Benita Jenkins of Washington, who was among the first in line Friday to accept the unusual offer of free Botox injections. Jenkins, who would not reveal her age but appeared to be in her mid- to late 40s, said she was laid off in February from a small nonprofit company where she led a $12 million capital campaign. She hopes improving her appearance will help, at least psychologically, in future job interviews. Botox, which paralyzes facial muscles to make lines fade, is the No. 1 minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in the US, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. More than 5 million treatments were done last year. Shannon Ginnan, a doctor at the clinic, said his patients are primarily women. He said it's important for anyone seeking a Botox treatment to have realistic expectations. Job recruiter Laura Baker said doing well on a job interview, regardless of age, is all about exuding confidence.
