ARE YOU GUILTY OF AGE DISCRIMINATION?

Have you reviewed your company's policies, processes and documentation to ensure that they comply with the law, which came into force on 1 October 2006?

The Government's estimate of future Employment Tribunal claims for Age Discrimination is 8,000 per year. Do you want your company to become another Government statistic?

Direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of age are now illegal.

In order to avoid claims against your company, you must review your company's:-

-  Recruitment Processes and Job Advertising

-  Job Application Forms
-  Job Specifications
-  Interview Procedures
-  Employment Contracts
-  Retirement Policy

You must also ensure that your staff are trained to implement the new procedures and monitor that they are being properly used.

It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee on the grounds of age, for example in the opportunities for promotion, training or benefits offered to that employee.

Job Advertisements

In job advertisements the language must be monitored so that age discriminatory words such as "young", "mature" and "active" are avoided.

Job Application Forms

Your company's job application forms must not make requests for information such as dates of birth or dates of qualifications etc.

Job Specifications

You must avoid specifying the number of years a driving licence must have been held or specifying qualifications which could only be held by older or younger people, because of the date of introduction of those qualifications.

Employment Contracts

Employment Contracts must include a retirement age of 65, unless a lower retirement age can be justified objectively.


If you would like to know more about the implications of the new law or if you have a query on any aspect of Employment Law, please contact George Patros or Rosemary Jeffries on 020 8360 9179 or by email on enquiries@charlesross.co.uk